Winter Safety for Seniors – Preparing for Power Outages

Winter can be an intimidating time of year for seniors, especially those that live alone in areas where severe cold and bad weather possibilities are common.

Here in the mountains of North Carolina, it’s a tough job for meteorologists to accurately predict some sneaky winter storms.

Staying two steps ahead of the weather can be helpful in planning for seniors and winter care. This can prevent serious emergencies for seniors living independently in the home. Many families are going back to intergenerational living to help avoid these emergencies as well.

We summarized some useful winter safety tips for seniors:

• Make sure to have a network of support. Make a list of neighbors you can call if you need help. Notify nearby friends and family for a solid elderly care winter assistance plan.
• Charged battery packs for your cell phone and electronics in case you DO need to call for help. Also sign up for community alert systems and apps, so you will receive an alert for severe weather and possible power outages.
• Keep a solid supply of water to prevent senior dehydration and non-perishable foods that should last you at least two weeks. Make sure to keep a thermometer close to monitor food temperature, and use coolers or store food outside if necessary.
• Consider medical needs, especially if electronics or power is necessary. Do you have refrigerated medicine, electronic locks, doors, or elevators in the home? Make sure to have a back up plan if these devices are unusable.
• Plan for emergency heating, but be careful not to use a generator or kerosene heater indoors. And to this point, make sure your home is equipped with fire alarms, carbon dioxide detectors on every floor, and charged fire extinguishers.
• Red Cross offers several more helpful hints on winter safety for seniors during a surprise power outage in the winter.

When all of these options are either exhausted or not applicable, make sure to have a back up plan for evacuation if needed.

Bags of salt for melting driveways and a full tank of gas are always good to have if needed. And of course for seniors and winter time, don’t forget about your furry family members, they will need back ups of food, shelter, and a place to go as well if you need to leave.

Looking for help at home this winter or beyond? My Choice Home Care is a senior in-home care service that serves clients in Macon, Jackson, and Haywood Counties in North Carolina. Counties served in Georgia are Rabun, Towns, and Habersham. Counties served in Upstate South Carolina are Oconee, Pickens, and Anderson. Contact us via email here or call (828) 200-9000 to speak to someone today. We can help you or a loved one enjoy the benefits of living independently in your own home.