Senior Beat
by Carol Higgins Taylor
Special to The Weekly
To say it’s cold outside is about as big an understatement as one can make.
Keeping warm is the top priority. With oil prices down it’s not as financially painful to heat our homes as it was this time last year, but the bone-chilling temperatures with dangerous wind-chills are seemingly bent on our destruction.
We’re made of stronger stuff, you and I, and will survive the worst of it, provided we use all the tips and tricks possible to stay warm.
Dress in layers. It is surprising how a turtleneck shirt underneath a fleece top or close-knit sweater can keep the chill at bay. Even a tee-shirt will do the trick.
Drinking hot beverages can warm you up from the inside, just watch the caffeine amounts, and a cozy fleece throw can add a layer of warmth to your outside, plus it has the “cuddly” factor. Just be careful not to trip when you get up. Happens to the best of us.
I am a firm believer in hats, and not just outside. Remember the days when people wore stocking caps to bed? These were not just fashion statements of the day. The caps served a purpose. While old studies claiming wearing a hat preserves massive amounts of body heat have been refuted, anecdotally, I swear by it. I am always warmer when I have a hat on.
On cold cloudy days, keep the curtains closed. As depressing as it sounds, it does keep the house warmer.
Getting into a cold bed can be jolting so think about fleece sheets. They are soft, warm and the perfect companion to restful slumber. Remember, being continuously cold is more than just uncomfortable. It can lead to hypothermia, a dangerous situation, especially for elderly. And it can strike often before an elderly person even realizes it. A core body temperature of 95 degrees or lower is all it takes.
If you are a senior or love someone who is, remember to be very careful about keeping the house too cool. The National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging recommends setting your thermostat to at least 68 degrees. A drop to 95 degrees body temperature can also cause some serious health concerns such as, a heart attack, kidney problems, liver damage or worse, according to NIH.
Some diseases such as diabetes, thyroid problems, Parkinson’s disease or arthritis compound the risk for hypothermia by making it harder for an aging body to stay warm, as can some medications, such as those for asthma and high blood pressure which can constrict veins, reducing blood flow.
In fact, caregivers need to be especially aware because sometimes hypothermia symptoms, which can include confusion, are mistaken for the natural signs of aging, slight dementia or drug side effects.
The winter months and cold weather have other possible side effects: increased isolation and accidents that result in injuries. Slippery sidewalks, roads and parking lots can be extremely dangerous so always carry a small container of rock salt or calcium chloride with you so you can sprinkle as you go along if run into an icy patch.
Spending time outdoors in extreme temperatures, either shoveling the steps or taking a winter walk, can result in frostbite so be sure to stay covered up as much as possible. Exposed areas of the face, such as cheeks, nose, chin, forehead and ears are in particular danger, as well as wrists, hands and feet.
As the days start getting longer, remember spring is on its way. For now though, all we can do is don our hats, wrap up in fleece and wait it out.
To learn more, visit nia.nih.gov and search “seniors keeping warm.”
Carol Higgins Taylor is an advocate for seniors and owns a public relations firm in Bangor. Email her at 4chtaylor@gmail.com.