The winter months can bring harsh storms and cold weather, making it hard for most people to be completely comfortable. Not only does winter wreak havoc on roads and homes, it takes a toll on the body as well. It can be quite difficult for elderly adults to stay comfortable during winter, especially those seniors who struggle to care for themselves. Family caregivers and home care providers must work hard to ensure the aging adult is comfortable and safe for the winter season.

Here are just a few ways that family caregivers and home care providers can ensure the aging adult has everything they need to be comfortable indoors when the snow falls and the wind blows outside.

• Body Temperature: It’s important for seniors to stay warm in winter, but it can be quite hard for them to regulate their own body temperature. What might feel comfortable to you is quite cold to an aging adult. Seniors also lose a lot of subcutaneous fat, which leaves their body struggling to stay warm. Home care providers should help seniors dress in warm layers that they can adjust to feel comfortable in whatever room they are in.
• Skin Care: Winter weather almost always leads to dry and itchy skin in seniors. Their skin doesn’t have many of the natural oils it once did and the forced air and alternating cold and hot temperatures can leave skin robed of its natural suppleness. Dry skin can lead to serious itching, and because their skin is so thin, vigorous itching can lead to scratches, welts and even sores. Family caregivers and home care providers need to help seniors with a rich creamy moisturizer and apply it after every bath or shower to lock in moisture. Seniors should also apply the lotion as needed, especially to the hands and forearms. Chapped lips can also be uncomfortable without regular application of a lip balm
• Warm, Nutritious Meals: There are few things better than a bowl of warm soup on a blustery day. Serving seniors some nutritious meals with fresh ingredients is key to keeping them comfortable during winter weather. Besides soups, family caregivers can prepare stew, chili, casseroles and more to soothe the mind and nourish the body. When home care providers join elderly adults for a meal, it becomes a social affair and elderly adults are more likely to eat more when they have company.
• Proper Entertainment: It’s too easy for elderly adults to feel restless and suffer from “cabin-fever” when they are stuck at home in bad winter weather. It’s important for seniors to feel comfortable when it’s too nasty outside to travel. Entertainment ideas include movie marathons, video chatting with family members far away, journaling, doing crafts, watch sporting events, organizing a drawer or closet, and play board games or do puzzles with the home care provider.

No matter what part of the country, winter weather can bring uncomfortable changes to an elderly person’s life. Fortunately, with family caregivers and home care providers looking out for them, seniors can pass the winter in relative comfort and health.

If you are considering caregivers in Bedford, VA for an aging loved one, please talk to the caring staff at Acti-Kare of Blue Ridge. Call 888-451-5273. Our office provides senior care and home care services in the following locations including Blue Ridge, Lynchburg, Salem, Roanoke, Smith Mountain Lake, and Bedford in Virginia.