Seniors - Enjoy the Snow and Avoid the Cold!

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posted by Ryan Whittington on January 04, 2012

Winter is, indeed, a wonderful time for many of us. Children and skiers love the snow and everyone enjoys the holidays. For some, however, the cold weather brings more bad news than good. The elderly, in particular, are extremely wary at this time of year and for good reason. Ice, snow, colds and seniors do not mix.

Slips and Falls

The average slip or fall barely registers on the body of a young child or a reasonably healthy adult. It is an entirely different matter for the elderly. Even a moderate fall inside the home can cause severe bruising and break major bones. Additionally, healing takes significantly longer in the aged. Even more troubling, a fall outside the home can leave an elderly person in a precarious position.

Colds and Seniors

Seniors are justified in their concern about the dangers of colds and pneumonia. Depressed immune systems, late diagnosis and lack of physical activity further exacerbate these potentially deadly conditions.

Colds and seniors are just as problematic. Although a lifetime of fighting and defeating rhinoviruses render the elderly less susceptible to the average cold, the advent of one is extremely serious as they are likely to have picked up a particularly virulent strain.

Home Care Services

A wide range of home care services can help the elderly to eliminate many of the dangers of winter by avoiding them altogether. Some services offered by the home care industry are:

Personal grooming, such as help with bathing or dressing
Cooking or delivering meals
Housekeeping, such as cleaning and laundry
Running errands, picking up medications or trips to a physician
Salting the sidewalk

These services are provided in the home and can alleviate most of the need to leave the home during the winter.

Transportation

Another important area where home health care services are invaluable is transportation. Despite the obvious dangers of cold weather and a slippery landscape, most seniors would like to continue living a reasonably normal life. This includes outings, trips to the store and this fact, obviously, entails leaving the security of their home. Home care services can provide safe, reliable transportation for the more independent minded seniors. Transportation services can be provided in a car the senior may own, or in the caregivers vehicle.

Home care services provide the elderly with a wide variety of services, inside and outside the home. Our professionals can cater to almost every need from ordinary household duties through transportation to licensed health care. The physical, mental and emotional benefits of our services cannot be overstated. In short, home care services can significantly enhance the safety, security and general happiness of an elderly person.

About Seniors Home Care

Seniors Home Care provides assistance in the St. Louis, MO. area for those needing help with services such as medication management, meal preparation and exercise encouragement. For a more complete list of the services we offer, please visit our services page. If you feel that you would like to know more about our services or would like to schedule a complimentary assessment for you or a loved one, please contact us.

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