Winter is already upon us and it is here to stay for a few more months.
Everybody loves winter, the holidays season, Christmas, however not many realize that this is quite a dangerous time for the elderly.
Many senior citizen have accidents due to falling on snow, ice or even wet surfaces each year.
Here are a few tips to follow to avoid these kinds of mishaps.
First things first, the soles of the shoes and boots should be checked for smoothness.
If the shoes are very smooth, the danger of falling down is increased.
Maybe now is the time to buy a new pair with enhanced traction with better grip of the ground.
Next come the sidewalk railings which should be checked for sturdiness.
If you happen to slip on the stairs, can these railings catch you? Always have your cellphone (mobile phone) in your pockets.
People who fall down the stairs are usually incapacitated until help comes, so if you don't have your phone with you, you might not be able to ask for help right away.
When you are about to walk to your car from a public place, such as a restaurant, if you see that in the meantime the parking place has become an ice skating ring, don't be shy to ask for help from either a friend that accompanied you, or a restaurant employee or even somebody who left the restaurant at the same time with you.
You might be late and you have to really hurry to get there.
Sometimes pushing yourself too much is not good and might cause you to slip.
Give yourself extra time to leave early, so you don't have to hurry to the destination.
If you have a staircase in your home, make sure that you have good lighting both at the top and the bottom of the stairs.
Also a light switch at both ends is useful.
Avoid using the stairs when it is dark until the light bulbs have been replaced.
Handrails should be securely fit on both sides of the stairs and they should extend from top to bottom.
The handrails should have a comfortable grip and should feel steady without wobbling.
Also avoid carrying things up and down the stairs as that will not allow you to grip the handrails fast if you are in danger of slipping.
If you have carpets on your stairs, try to use light colored carpets that are easily visible.
Using patterned and dark colored carpets might cause problems in visually impaired people.
If the carpets are already worn and frayed at the edges, replace them with new ones as the damaged ones will make it very easy for you to trip over them.
Also try to avoid using clothes that make tripping easy, such as long skirts, night dresses and even flared trousers.
The clothing should fit the body and should not reach the floor.
A better way to secure the floors is to use anti slip tape.
This is a very strong security tape which is heavily used when it comes to safety at home.