Winter Weather Safety for Seniors

Iredell County, NC – Winter is a beautiful time of the year, especially if you enjoy the clean, crisp air and the shimmer of frost that covers the wintry landscape. Though winter can bring beauty, the season’s harsh side can be dangerous for older adults.

While North Carolina may not typically face extreme winter weather conditions, there are still unique challenges that come with the colder temperatures. As you age, it becomes harder to be aware of your body becoming too cold, which can quickly become a dangerous health issue.

Hazards of this season include hypothermia, dehydration, falls on wintry surfaces, flu and respiratory illness, and dry skin leading to infections, to name a few.

Older adults are more likely to have chronic medical conditions that make it harder to stay warm.

“There are many reasons the elderly are at increased risk for cold weather health hazards, including cognitive impairment, medications that affect thermoregulation, financial risk of housing, clothing, and heating insufficiencies, impaired mobility, stroke, diabetes, and other neurologic impairments with neuropathy,” said John C. Nicholson, MD, a physician at Statesville Internal Medicine.

Below, Nicholson explains some of the common winter weather health risks for seniors and tips to safeguard yourself and your loved ones this season.

Hypothermia

Aging bodies are especially vulnerable to hypothermia because they often produce less heat than younger bodies. Normal physical changes also make it more difficult for older people to recognize when their body temperature drops. According to Nicholson, hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature of less than 95 degrees.