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Older Adults - Injury Prevention |
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Winter can be a challenging time of year to travel safely . Here are a few tips to stay safe this winter.
Dress for winter weather
- Help preserve body heat by layering clothing. For example long underwear, fleece sweater and winter jacket.
- Help prevent heat loss by wearing a hat, scarf, mittens or gloves. It is important to wear a hat because body heat escapes from an uncovered head.
- Dress for winter by covering as much exposed skin as possible.
Winter footwear
When choosing a winter boot keep the following in mind:
- Comfort, warmth and stability
- A wide and low heel
- Well insulated and waterproof
- Light in weight
- A thick, non skid deep tread sole
- Easy to slip on and off
Assistive devices for winter walking:
- Consider using ice grippers when walking on hard packed snow and ice.
- Before buying the grippers, be sure that you are able to attach and remove them from your boots easily.
- Remove grippers before walking indoors on stone, tile and ceramic as these surfaces can be very slippery .
- Be sure to sit down when attaching and removing the grippers to the boot.
- Consider using an ice pick on the end of your cane. The sharp ice pick will give you added grip on slippery surfaces.
- A pick will be slippery on hard surfaces so be sure to flip it back as you get indoors.
- Remember to replace rubber tips on your cane before it gets too worn.
Clear your path
- Keep entranceways, walkways, stairs and driveways clear of ice and snow.
- Keep a bag of grit, salt, sand or cat litter by the entranceway. Sprinkle it on entranceways, walkways and stairs.
- Keep a shovel by entranceways.
Keep active and safe this winter
- Be aware of your surroundings. Slow down. Take your time. Watch for hazards.
- Wear light, bright or reflective clothing in snowy weather and as darkness falls.
- Walk with a buddy or carry a cell phone in case of an emergency.
- Keep active by walking in your home, building or local mall.
Winter driving
- Stay alert, slow down and stay in control when driving.
- Drive according to current road and weather conditions.
- Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
- Avoid situations where you may have to brake suddenly.
- Invest in a roadside safety kit and keep it in your trunk.
| For more information on falls prevention, call 3-1-1 |
Last updated March 2011
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