As the days grow cooler and shorter, it’s important to protect the senior citizens you know in the fall.
Here’s how you can help your loved ones with their wellbeing as the holidays begin to approach.
Check on their home
Safe living conditions are important for seniors. Make sure the heat is working and that the fireplace has been cleaned. Check out the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors too. Additionally, look outside the home for fallen leaves. These can get slippery and become a hazard for the elderly. Plan to come by and clean these leaves up to prevent them from falling and winding up in the hospital.
Layer up
It’s not quite time for those big, heavy coats yet. But those lighter sweaters and jackets are a must. Help them choose things that allow them to layer up with ease. As the temperatures are still fluctuating, it’s good to have this kind of versatility.
Get proper shoes
Footwear is another thing to consider. Check your loved one’s soles and make sure all boots and shoes have plenty of non-skid traction to keep them safe in and out of the home.
Focus on nutrition
Fall is the season where illnesses tend to pop up most. Make sure your favorite senior is eating lots of fruits and vegetables to keep them healthy. This harvest time is a great chance to incorporate all those seasonal foods like beets, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cranberries, and apples.
Fight loneliness
Many seniors feel alone at this time of year, especially as holidays start to come up. Make sure they have a place to be for these occasions. Additionally, help them to find community activities for seniors that can keep them engaged. They’ll make friends and get to do something they enjoy.
Know the signs of seasonal depression
Seniors are at a much greater risk for seasonal depression. The isolation indoors may lead to this so spot the signs like a loss of appetite, more irritability, chronic fatigue, and poor sleeping habits. You can counteract this with exercise and vitamin D.
Keep active
Growing old takes on many forms. Keep up mobility by getting exercise. You can look for senior exercise groups that are led by trainers that know how to work with the elderly.
