15 winter safety tips for seniors 

There is little doubt that winter brings with it a lot of safety issues, particularly for seniors. At ContinYou Care, we have compiled 15 winter safety tips to help keep everyone safe this winter.  

Out and About

1. Wear LOTS of warm clothing. If you have to go out in freezing weather, invest in thermals, a good coat, thick socks etc.
2. Pay attention to your surroundings, and although items such as hats are crucial in keeping warm, make sure they don’t obscure your vision.  
3. Wear BRIGHT and VISIBLE clothing. Reflective clothing can be bought for the sole purpose of keeping you warm and providing good visibility. Even during the day, reflective clothing serves an important purpose. 
4. Boots with a good grip can help with this. Invest in a good pair of winter boots, not only will they keep your feet warm, they are crucial in preventing slips and falls. No matter how careful you are, if you’re out in bad weather, there will be slip hazards. Boots with a good grip can help this. 
5. It’s not always possible, but if you can get a friend to walk with you or someone to drive you to your destination, it’s preferable over walking alone in case of an emergency. 

Your home

1. Keep an emergency box of essentials to use in the event of a storm. For example, keep a case of water ready and goods that last a long time, such as tinned food. 
2. If you’re not able to keep the path and steps to your home clear, consider hiring a professional company or asking a family member to help out. Snowy and icy steps are a major hazard.
3. Get your furnace checked before winter hits. It’s a good idea to have a check-up and fine-tuning of your furnace before the winter, so you’re not left without heating. Winter also means professionals are busy, which may increase the amount of time you’re left without heating should a problem occur! 
4. Use good floor mats and keep boots by the door. The last thing you want to do is create a slip hazard in your own home by trudging snow and ice through on the bottom of your shoes/boots. 
5. Make sure all fire detectors and carbon monoxide detectors have enough battery and are working correctly. If you’re not sure how to test these, ask a friend or family member.

Your car 

1. Get winter tires. There is no doubt that in Canada, winter tires are a necessity if you plan on driving during the winter months. 
2. Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. This kit should include a: torch, blanket, food, water, cell phone, first aid kit, etc. 
3. Keep your tank as full as possible. This can prevent problems with your fuel lines in cold weather as well as prevent the possibility of running out of fuel in freezing weather.
4. Have your oil changed before the winter fully hits.
5. Warm-up your car before driving away if you leave it on the road or driveway. DO NOT warm-up your vehicle if it’s in the garage due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

ContinYou Care

Do you have winter safety tips for seniors that we’ve missed in our list? Let us know below!