Winter Safety Tips for Dementia Affected Seniors

Top Winter Safety Tips for Seniors with Dementia

Seniors can become forgetful as their brain function declines with age, and this is normal.

However, there are cases when the forgetfulness is caused by something more serious: Dementia.

Dementia is the overall term pertaining to the conditions characterized by decline in thinking skills, like problem-solving, memory, and language. It can affect an individual’s ability to do their daily activities—even the routine tasks. If you have loved ones with dementia, their safety should be your top priority. An ​activity tracker for seniors​ can help you ensure that they stay safe especially this winter.

How an app can help You don’t have to buy a senior monitoring device​ ​because you can simply download an app and install it on your loved one’s smartphone. That app can send you emergency alerts when it detects that something is wrong. Choose a proven app that is free and known to be reliable in delivering senior emergency alerts to caregivers and the family.

Choose a safety app and activity tracker for seniors that you can configure in seconds. The best ones don’t just let you monitor the location of your loved ones—they allow you to set geofences so you can see if they are wandering off. This is important especially as wandering in the winter can be dangerous to their health and safety. Some apps have an SOS feature that your loved ones can use to quickly ask for help. You just need to make sure that they have their smartphone at all times. The ​senior monitoring device​ can also send you alerts for falls and inactivity so you can check on their situation right away.

More winter safety tips

Apart from using an activity tracker for seniors, there are other things you can do to ensure their safety, especially if they have dementia:

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Make them wear high-quality shoes with non-slip soles. If they are using a cane, make sure that it has a sharp or non-slip end to help them keep their balance when walking on ice or slippery surfaces.

Avoid making them use space heaters, as these can become fire hazards if they are toppled over or set near flammable substances.

Do not use an electric blanket to keep seniors warm. If something goes wrong, they might not be able to realize that the blanket is already burning them. Dress them in layers instead and cover all possible exposed areas, like the neck, ankles, wrist, and face.

Keep the curtains open or the lights on, or apply light therapy to minimize sundowning.

If you are looking for an app that can send ​senior emergency alerts​, consider ​Senior Safety App​. It is free to download and is designed specifically for seniors. Features such as the secure health information collection, emergency alarm, and SOS emergency contacts are free, too. You can also sign up for a monthly annual subscription if you want more features.