It happens in a split second. You are cheerfully minding your own business walking between rooms in your house, cooking in your kitchen, or going down the driveway to retrieve empty trash cans. Before your brain can catch up with your body, you’re down. As you lay sprawled on the floor or ground, you wonder if you will be getting up to continue with your day or summoning an ambulance to take you to the ER. It could go either way.
Falling at this stage of life can be permanently life altering. Seniors need to be aware of the potential hazards around them at all times, but especially in the winter months. Ice and snow creates treacherous terrain that can increase the risk of injury exponentially. One slip on an icy patch of ground can sideline you from the activities you love indefinitely.
Don’t let Mother Nature get the best of you. Follow these simple tips to safely make the most of her winter wonderland. You’ll show her.
Keep Entryways Clear - and Dry
When you’re rushing to get indoors to escape frigid temps, the last thing you need is to open the door and trip over a pair of shoes or some other extraneous item. Make sure your doorways are clear for safe exit and entry. Keep that doorway from becoming a slippery slope and fall hazard by keeping a rug or towel handy to keep the floor dry after you or a friend enters with snowy boots.
It’s All About Footwear
The right shoes can be the difference between a lovely walk in the snow and a fracture, head trauma or major laceration. Simply put: Keep those spiked Manolos in the closet until spring. Your best bet for venturing out into the frozen or melting landscape are shoes and boots with non-skid soles. Step cautiously and avoid any stretch of sidewalk that looks suspect. When you return safely home, make sure to take off those wet shoes. Traipsing through your house with wet footwear is basically creating a minefield to slip in.
Stay Fit
Regular exercise that enhances strength and equilibrium can go a long way toward keeping you on your feet.. Any workout you choose will be helpful, especially activities like yoga and tai chi that focus on muscle control and balance. The more fit you are, the better chance you have of mitigating the harm from a fall or avoiding one altogether.
Environment is Key
The best way to stay safe in the winter is to live in surroundings created to promote your wellbeing. At Overture’s premier senior apartment communities, we prioritize your health and safety in an environment that is all about friendship and fun. Your apartment will be upscale, and state-of-the-art, designed specifically for your comfort. You’ll enjoy resort worthy facilities housed on pristinely manicured ground. No matter what the weather, you will find unlimited opportunities to enjoy the warmth and comradery of like-minded peers. Take that Mother Nature.
So why are you still bundling up and schlepping those trash cans down the driveway? Book a tour today.