Winter can be a difficult season for seniors and it can be hard to know the right precautions to take for your loved one’s safety. Are you worried about icy conditions this winter? Prevent a slip and fall before they start. Follow these tips to stop aging loved ones from slipping on ice. Wear the ...

Winter can be a difficult season for seniors and it can be hard to know the right precautions to take for your loved one’s safety. Are you worried about icy conditions this winter? Prevent a slip and fall before they start. Follow these tips to stop aging loved ones from slipping on ice.
Wear the right footwear. Wearing the proper footwear when walking on icy surfaces is essential to prevent slips and falls.
If your loved one has a pair of boots they like to wear in the winter, you can take a few steps to make them more slipresistant. For example, you can spray the bottom with an antislip solution.
Keep walkways clear of ice. At the home front, make sure the driveway, entry stairs, back porch, and nearby sidewalks are cleared of ice.
The easiest way to clear ice to spread rock salt over the ice and spray with water to loosen the ice. Then, you can shovel it away from walkways to protect your senior loved one.
Use handrails when possible. At home, consider installing handrails if there are stairs at the entrance to their home. Ice can form very quickly and if your loved one uses the stairs before ice is cleared away, the handrails can prevent a nasty fall.
When out and about with your loved one, try to use pathways
that have handrails to give them extra support and balance while walking. However, if a surface is particularly icy, it is best to avoid it altogether, or consider using a wheelchair for your loved one if you need to.
Run errands for your loved one. It’s difficult to avoid ice when away from the home, so if you are able to run errands for your loved one, it can be a big help in preventing falls. Also, carrying bags of groceries on an icy surface adds an entirely new level of danger.
If you’re unable to run errands for your loved one, consider hiring a home health aide to run errands and accompany your loved one when leaving the home. This way, your senior loved one won’t be left on their own to traverse along ice-covered walkways.
Slipping on ice can quickly lead to a hospital visit for an elderly loved one. Without the proper care and awareness this winter, you might be putting your loved one in harm’s way. But with these tips, you can be proactive and help prevent your loved one from having a painful slip and fall this season.
Elite Home Health Care takes extra care to keep your loved one safe from slippery surfaces by running errands, accompanying them to appointments, and making sure that they wear the proper footwear before going outdoors.
Contact us to learn more about what our home-health aides can offer and feel confident that your loved one is in good hands this winter.