Elderly woman and younger woman laying in pile of leaves in autumn

Safety and Wellness for Seniors this Autumn

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As summer is winding down and the weather is changing from those long hot days to a brisk, mild, and cooler climate, we can all go out and do a bit more. Yet, with this change in season we are getting closer to winter which brings risk factors for older adults. Using autumn as the time to prepare for winter and set yourself up for an easy adjustment to the ice, snow, and temperature can help you put your health and well-being as a top priority. Here are a few tips and suggestions to make this winter the easiest and most enjoyable one yet.

1. Household Heating

If you’ve been waiting on fixing any preexisting issues with your furnace, don’t wait any longer. This is one of the most important units in your house during winter months when temperatures can get below freezing. Even if you don’t have a major issue with your furnace that you know of, not keeping up with filter changes and allowing dirt build-up can cause the blower to only blow air and not heat. Change your filter regularly and schedule a vent cleaning and system check-up, autumn is the perfect time for this.

2. Get ready for the ice and snow

In some areas of the country snow can show itself early, even by October some areas can have a lot of it. So make sure you’re prepared by stocking up on the tools you’ll need to prevent slips, falls, and injury. Having a shovel, car brush, salt or other types of deicing items are important prior to snow and ice coming. If you have physical mobility issues make sure to schedule a regular snow removal service that will come and clear the ice and snow from your home. If a service like this is out of budget work with family and friends to assist you.

3. Reduce the risk of illness

Autumn and winter both bring a higher risk of sickness. Keeping up on your vaccinations and immunizations can give you an advantage of getting less sick or not sick at all. Schedule your flu shot and your covid booter and make sure you’re following the recommendations to avoid catching these germs. Avoid individuals who are sick or are recently recovering from a sickness. Wash your hands regularly and practice bringing hand sanitizer with you when you’re out and about. Keep yourself healthy by taking vitamins, eating well, and exercising for at least 30 minutes every day. Get enough sleep at night, it’s important to have at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night and even an hour or two too little can open the body up to unwanted infections.

Using the autumn season as a time to ready yourself for winter is such a great decision and we hope these few tips can help you get started. Autumn is beautiful, fun, and a welcome relief from the heat of the summer but always remember that winter can bring some limitations to seniors and being prepared makes these seasons all the more enjoyable.