PRIVATE IN-HOME CARE - A GUIDE TO STAYING WARM THIS WINTER

Winter can be a difficult time for senior citizens. Muscle aches, seasonal depression, or the simple, yet often evasive, act of staying warm. All can present significant challenges for those already working to maintain comfort and good health.

To make the frostier months easier to bear, we’ve put together some helpful suggestions:

Retaining Heat at Home:

• Keep windows and doors closed where possible. The heat escapes as the chill invades!

• Many modern heating systems and devices now have scheduling capabilities, meaning you can avoid bitter morning chills by setting a timer for 6AM or earlier.

• Place rugs on hardwood floors.

• Use door snakes to keep drafts out (or draft stoppers if tripping is a risk factor).

• Open curtains in any room the sun hits.

• Move your or your loved one’s favourite chair closer to sun-facing windows (this will also help with seasonal depression, more about this condition below)

Retaining Body Heat:

• Heat Retaining Clothing: Shirts, pants, and other items designed to retain heat are available at stores like Uniqlo, Kmart, and Bonds.

• Layering: Wearing or dressing a loved one in a singlet, long sleeve shirt and jumper will help insulate body heat. Ensure backs and necks are covered.

• Heat Bags: Microwavable heat bags are available at most stores now to help with increasing body heat and soothing muscle pains.

• Hand and body warmers: Available at most chemists, and easy to use. Just “snap” the warmer or hold it in your hand and let it do the rest! Some warmers can be stuck onto clothing. Be sure not to stick onto or hold directly on skin.

• Socks or slippers: Cold floor tiling can contribute to decreased body temperature.

• When outside, utilise scarves, beanies and gloves.

• Observation: For those who struggle with mobility, check in with them regularly to ensure their body temperature is comfortable. Everyone’s idea of “cold” is different!

Other Helpful Tips:

• Arrange your annual flu shots and any subsequent COVID boosters as early as possible.

• Ensure pets are let inside on cold nights.

• If you care for someone with dementia, be aware they may remove clothing or leave doors open without realising.

• A warm drink does wonders for the body and soul! As does soup!

• Muscle creams can alleviate aches and pains exacerbated by the cold.

• Some modern lamps can mimic the rise and fall of the sun to keep our sun exposure levels normal throughout the typically darker months.

• Keep drinking water: the cold weather can deceive us, but we still need just as much hydration as usual. Home heaters contribute to drier skin, lips and throats.

Safety Awareness:

• Be aware of slip risks with socks. Consider anti-slip socks or slippers for those who may be a falls risk.

• Overheating is extremely likely so ensure you check in with anyone you are caring for to ensure they have communicated their level of comfort regarding temperature.

• As above, sleeping in flannelette pyjamas, leaving heaters on overnight or using electric blankets can leading to extreme overheating and possible safety risks for the latter.

• Along with overheating, hydration level should be observed if steps have been taken to increase body heat.

• Ensure all electronic heating devices are switched off at night or when no one is home.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) is a condition that worsens during the colder, darker months. Ongoing studies are showing a significant downtrend in mood and outlook when winter rolls in, across all age groups.  Symptoms often include persistent low mood, loss of interest in everyday activities, increased feelings of despair and oversleeping or tiredness. While the specific cause of Seasonal Affective Depression is currently unknown, health website Mayo Clinic states several possible factors include your circadian rhythm being displaced due to a decrease in sunlight, diminished serotonin (a brain chemical that affects mood) and melatonin imbalance brought on by the change in season. Low levels of vitamin D can also trigger Seasonal Affective symptoms, as well as bipolar disorder and major depression.

Alleviating SAD Symptoms

Experts recommend light therapy as a solution for alleviating SAD. Mayo Clinic states that lamps and lights designed to mimic sunlight “appear to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood”. This is an easy and accessible solution, with people finding that a short period of exposure to such lights each day helps to relieve their symptoms. Light therapy lamps are available online from Amazon or in-store at Dick Smith or Harvey Norman.

Luxe Carers are always happy to help with wellbeing situations,

so please ask your carer. Call Luxe Care today on 1300 674 886