The winter season is full of wonderful experiences. From exchanging gifts to seeing friends and family for the holidays, it’s a time that brings a lot of joy. However, with winter also comes treacherous weather, colder temperatures, and heightened risks of injuries and falls. In order to enjoy the many joys of this season, it’s important to keep yourself safe from potential harm.
For older adults in particular, winter brings many potential problems. One of the most prevalent of these is the increased risk of falling, brought on by icy and wet conditions. While you may have been able to easily brush off slips in your youth, as an older adult falling can be serious; for some, this may even result in life-threatening injuries and lasting pain. Paired with the heightened risks of falling, hypothermia is also a major concern in the wintertime. Due to lower temperatures, both indoors and outdoors, you can become chilled far quicker than you’d expect; if you fall on a patch of ice and cannot get up quickly—due to injury, loss of mobility, or anything else—you can find your core temperature rapidly cooling.
While these risks may be scary, this isn’t to say that you should avoid going outside altogether. Quite the opposite! Even though there are risks, with the right precautions, going outside is actually very important for your mental, physical, and social health. For example, exposing yourself to the sun can help to boost vitamin D production and regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to get a good night’s sleep and feel energized throughout the day. Meeting up with friends, whether it be outside or at a local cafe or restaurant, can also help to revitalize you and make your days less monotonous.
Whatever your reason for heading outside, taking the appropriate measures ensures that you will be as safe as possible. Below are our top tips for staying warm, avoiding falls, and otherwise maximizing fun while minimizing risks.
Dress For The Weather
When dressing for cold weather, the key is to avoid excessive moisture. Damp or wet clothes are terrible insulators, and will actually work to draw heat away from your body—this is why, if you have a fever, a damp cloth on your forehead can help to bring it down. Since your objective is to keep your body heat, not lose it, taking steps to minimize moisture retention is crucial.
To do this, start by choosing a moisture-wicking inner layer. This could mean wearing long underwear or an undershirt made of materials such as thermal knits, wool, or athletic fabrics like polyester and polypropylene. When choosing an inner layer, avoid those made with cotton, as this material easily traps moisture, becoming damp and chilly. If you anticipate sweating a lot, try to bring some extra inner layers to change into, in order to avoid staying in wet clothes for extended periods of time.
After your innermost layer, you can put on your favourite shirts, sweaters, cardigans, skirts, and pants. If you prefer to wear dresses, wearing a long sleeved top underneath can help to make a short-sleeved dress feel warm and cozy. If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, just be sure to keep your legs warm with long underwear, leggings, or fleece-lined tights; even if you’re wearing pants, adding an extra inner layer is a great idea for better heat retention. In terms of materials, avoid wearing only thin fabrics, and instead opt for thicker, sturdier ones like wool, fleece, and flannel, or mix and match thin and thick fabrics to suit your preferences.
When going outside, you should also wear a thick outer coat to keep you dry and insulated. If you’re staying outside for an extended period of time, or if the weather is wet or snowy, wearing a hard-shelled waterproof coat is a good idea. This will keep all of the moisture from the elements out and away from your body, maintaining a warm and cozy inner environment. If you aren’t going to be outside for too long, wearing a simple water resistant coat may be a better option, as these are usually more breathable, flexible, and comfortable.
Finally, be sure not to skip wearing hats, mittens, and scarves, especially in very low temperatures. While the myth that you lose 40% ~ 50% of your body heat through your head has been debunked, as per the Guardian, you will still be warmer if more of your body is insulated. These also help to protect your fingers, ears, and nose, which are more susceptible to frostbite. Plus, they give you an opportunity to add some extra pizazz to your outfits!
Wear Proper Footwear
Just as wearing proper winter clothes is important, choosing your footwear well is crucial for winter safety. According to the Cleveland Clinic, your toes are one of the most common areas for frostbite; and, as frostbite is most common in young children and adults aged over 65, this is a genuine concern. Wearing thick socks made of a warm material—like wool—is a good first step, but without the proper boots, your toes will likely feel the chill.
In addition to warding off frostbite, wearing the right kinds of boots can help to decrease your risks of slipping and falling. According to the National Council on Aging, one in four Americans aged 65 and older experience falls each year. While the causes of these falls vary, the Mayo Clinic reports that falls are significantly more common in the wintertime, highlighting the importance of taking precautionary measures during this season.
When picking footwear, it’s important to consider the warmth, traction, and waterproofing. Many winter boots come with a temperature rating, meaning that you can pick out the ones that suit your lifestyle and needs. If you’re outside for long periods of time, or live in a very cold climate, go for warmer options; on the other hand, if you don’t spend that much time outside and instead tend to gravitate towards indoor spaces like cafes, a lighter insulation will likely be more comfortable overall. Similarly, the type of traction you choose depends on your situation. Studded boots are great for the outdoors, but can be hazardous on indoor floors. If you’re planning to go inside of a library, shop, or restaurant, opting for convertible boots—such as Kickspikes and Olangs—or simply boots with a rubber sole, may be a better option.
While insulation levels and traction types are fairly subjective, it’s generally always a good idea to go for waterproof boots—the level of insulation you need will vary by person, but having wet feet isn’t fun for anyone. Another general rule of thumb is to avoid high heels of any sort, as they make balancing much trickier. Choose function over fashion; even if they aren’t the most fashionable boots out there, having boots that keep your feet comfortable, warm, and reduce falling risks is the most important thing.
Choose How and When You Go Out
Though getting outside has its fair share of benefits, it’s also important to acknowledge that on some days, the risks outweigh the rewards. Before leaving the house, be sure to check the weather forecast to gauge the risk level for the day. When doing so, take care to check it for the full timeframe that you will be outside, instead of merely glancing at the current weather. If the weather looks particularly bad—think blizzards, heavy rain, high winds, or flash freezes—it’s probably in your best interest to stay home and make alternative plans.
Even if the weather isn’t severe, you shouldn’t underestimate it. Even in the best weather conditions, bringing a friend, family member, or neighbour along is much safer than going out alone. If you know that your friends also need to do chores, buy groceries, or visit the post office, why not invite them out? This can turn a mundane outing into a fun opportunity to catch up with someone you love.
When planning your outings, it’s also a good idea to plan for pit stops in warm environments, such as cafes, restaurants, libraries, and community centers. For instance, if you’re planning on going for a walk with loved ones, you could end the walk off with a warm drink at a local coffee shop, or by having lunch at your loved one’s house. Not only is this a great chance to catch up and chat, the extra time spent in a warm environment does wonders to ward off frostbite and hypothermia. And, even if you aren’t planning on stopping by one of these places, taking note of possible shelters along your route is a great idea. That way, if the weather does suddenly worsen, you’ll have a good idea of where to go to wait out the storm. Plus, if you find yourself craving a sweet treat, you’ll know where to go!
Plan for Potential Crises
Even with the right gear, there’s no way to entirely get rid of certain risks. After all, unexpected things happen every day! Though you may not be able to prevent these problems, being well prepared for them makes all the difference.
In winter, less people tend to go out, meaning that, in the case of an emergency, there may not be anybody around to help. For example, if you slip, fall, and injure yourself, you may find yourself stranded in the cold with nobody nearby to help you up or call for help. Depending on the nature of your injuries and the temperatures outside, this can be a matter of life and death—therefore, you should do as much as you can to avoid ending up in this situation.
Before going out, you should always let someone know where you’ll be going, as well as what time you expect to be home. Upon returning home, you can then let them know that you have arrived home safely. While this may be reminiscent of being hounded by your parents in your youth, it’s a very effective strategy. If you don’t make it back by the expected time, your loved one will be able to come and check on you as quickly as possible, minimizing the risk of you being stranded without help. Alternatively, you can use an alert device to send out a call for help; depending on the type, this could be done manually, or automatically if a fall is detected.
Even if you don’t experience a fall, sudden changes in weather can be quite dangerous. As mentioned above, it’s always a good idea to check the weather forecast before leaving the house, and plan out possible pit stops along your route. If you’re planning to drive somewhere, you can do the same thing and take note of gas stations or shopping malls where you could park and wait out a storm. Wandering around in winter storms is particularly hazardous as reduced visibility makes it easy to get lost. Having a clear plan in place means that even if conditions deteriorate, you’ll be able to safely find shelter.
If you’ll be driving somewhere more secluded, consider bringing an emergency bag with things like blankets, hand warmers, and extra food to tide you over until the roads are cleared. While you may be tempted to keep your car idling to maintain warmth inside your vehicle, it’s not a good idea to do so for extended periods of time. According to the Cleveland Clinic, an idling car with improper ventilation—such as a car with its tailpipe blocked by snow—can quickly lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, which is particularly dangerous for adults over 65. If you do find yourself stranded, the recommendation is to make sure the exhaust pipe is clear, run your engine just until the car’s interior is warm, and then turn the engine off again; then, when the interior becomes too cold to stand, you can repeat this process. Having warm blankets can help to save fuel and reduce the risks of CO poisoning, as you’ll need to heat the car less frequently.
Use Memory Aids
According to the National Institute on Aging, some mild memory loss is a natural and expected part of aging. You may have noticed yourself becoming more forgetful recently, or misplacing things more than usual—this is likely nothing to worry about, as a certain level of memory loss is perfectly normal. For some older adults, these issues can be more severe, and could be signs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or, in serious cases, dementia. Other factors including medication, alcohol, lack of sleep, and dietary issues can also cause issues with cognition.
Whatever the reason may be, if you have noticed that you have a harder time remembering things, using memory aids can be very helpful in keeping you safe this winter. For example, you could write out a checklist of things to remember—such as keys, wallet, hat, mittens, scarf, and checking the weather forecast—and put it on your door. That way, before you head out, you can quickly run through your list and make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.
Another great strategy is to develop a set routine to follow. In the case of going outside, this might look like checking the forecast at breakfast time, and putting on your coat, boots, hat, mittens, and scarf in a set order. Placing your winter accessories, like hats and scarves, into the sleeves of your coats or into your boots can also help to make them harder to forget, as you’ll naturally encounter them as you get ready to go outside.
While this is not a definitive list, our hope is that this article has given you a few key strategies to implement into your lifestyle. From here, it’s all about adapting them to suit your needs, following your instincts, and enjoying the many wonders of this beautiful season!
