Winter’s icy conditions, high winds and reduced daylight hours can increase your chance of slipping and falling. So, it’s important to be extra vigilant, even while doing simple tasks such as getting your mail or walking to your car. Here are some tips to prevent slips.

Take Your Time

Rushing to get out the door only increases the likelihood of missing a step or stepping on an icy path. So, give yourself extra time to complete chores or get on the road to reduce your chances of a slip-and-fall incident.

Here are some tips to remember:

• The floor near your door may be wet from melting snow or cluttered with boots, so take extra care in that area of your home.
• Be mindful that your feet don’t get tangled in long scarves and coats.
• When exiting a vehicle, swing both legs out of the door and stand on two feet for extra stability.

Pay Attention

It’s important to be aware of your surroundings. You can’t pay enough attention if you’re looking at your phone or carrying an armload of groceries. Make sure you have a clear view of your path and enough lighting to see clearly.

Take stairs one at a time, stepping straight up or down to maintain your balance. Check for ice while you’re walking outside by tapping your foot on a surface to see if it cracks.

Wear Proper Footwear

Rubber or rough-soled shoes with low, wide heels provide traction on ice and snow. To decrease your risk of tripping, wear shoes with laces that fit snuggly, instead of loose-fitting footwear. Consider changing your shoes when you come indoors to keep from tracking in snow.

Clear Walkways

Make your home safe for winter with these tips:

Indoor walkways: Remove loose cords and furniture from high-traffic walkways. Secure or move rugs that could be a tripping hazard. Keep a towel handy to soak up melting snow on your floors.

Outdoor walkways: Shovel snow regularly or ask a loved one to assist you. Lay down rock salt to break up ice on your porch, sidewalks and driveway. You can also use kitty litter for traction, but it won’t melt ice.

Take Small Steps

Walking the right walk can help you avoid falls. Bend at your knees and lean forward slightly to control your center of gravity. Take smaller steps and move slowly whether you’re inside or outside. You may need to shuffle or take gliding strides if you’re moving over ice and snow.

Dress Appropriately

Maintaining your body temperature and circulation keeps your muscles relaxed and your joints limber. Put on several light layers of clothing to allow air to circulate. If you wear gloves or mittens, you can keep your hands out of your pockets. That allows you to extend your arms to help with balance. Your hands will also be free to help you brace yourself if you do fall.

Use Handrails

Use railings to balance yourself when going up and down stairs and on sloping walkways. You can also install handrails by your toilet or in your shower to help you stay upright in the bathroom.

What To Do If You Fall

1. Tuck your chin and use your hands and arms to protect your head.
2. Evaluate yourself for injuries before trying to stand up.
3. If you’re hurt, call for help or use a medical alert system to get assistance.
4. If you’re uninjured and able to move, roll slowly onto your side to position your hands and knees under your body. Push yourself up onto all fours and crawl to a piece of furniture or handrail to pull yourself up.
5. Contact your doctor for medical advice.

Signs of an injury after a fall:

• Pain or swelling that lasts several days
• Lacerations
• Substantial bruising
• Persistent headaches
• Blurred or tunnel vision
• Disorientation
• Dizziness
• Loss of feeling in your limbs

Comprehensive In-Home Care from Ohioans Home Health & Hospice

Your safety and well-being are our top priority. We’re committed to providing you with the services you need for a quality living experience. Contact us to learn about our services and schedule a consultation.

When did you last check the expiration dates on your prescription and over-the-counter medications? Disposing of expired and unused medication is important and can help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Why You Should Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet

Avoid medication mix-ups: Keeping your meds organized is important, especially if you take multiple prescriptions. You could accidentally mistake one medication for another, increasing your risk for adverse reactions.

Keep children, teens and pets safe: Organizing your medicine cabinet is a good time to evaluate the security of your bottles, creams and ointments. Store them out of reach of small children and animals to prevent accidental ingestion. Consider keeping them in a private place to avoid misuse by teens.

Prevent negative reactions: Most medications lose potency after expiration, so they won’t treat your symptoms effectively. Some prescriptions, including antibiotics, aspirin, insulin and nitroglycerin, can be dangerous after expiration and should be disposed of immediately.

Steps for Cleaning Out Your Medicine Cabinet

1. Gather all pills, tablets, capsules, liquids, creams, ointments, drops, sprays and inhalers in one spot.
2. Separate your current daily medication.
3. Check the remaining labels for expiration dates. They may be printed directly on the bottle, container or tube.
4. Toss out prescriptions over a year old and over-the-counter meds at least six months past their expiration date.
5. Throw away loose pills or tablets and medication not in original containers.
6. Store your current and non-expired medication in a cool, dry place, as humidity, heat and light may alter potency.

How to Properly Dispose of Expired and Unused Medication

Remove labels and tags or scratch out personal information on the packaging before disposal.

Improper medication disposal poses safety and environmental risks. Don’t flush prescription or over-the-counter meds down the sink or toilet unless instructed by your doctor. Creams and ointments should be thrown directly into the trash.

Crush pills and capsules and put them in a sealable bag. Mix in undesirable substances, such as kitty litter, sawdust or coffee grounds, to make it less tempting for animals or children who could get into the trash. Seal the bag before placing it in the garbage. Complete those steps with liquid medication as well.

Where to Dispose of Medication

Another good way to safely get rid of old and unused medications is to take them to a drug take-back facility. Those sites include certain pharmacies, police stations, hospitals and drug enforcement agencies. You can search online to find a drug disposal location near you.

Ohioans Home Health & Hospice is committed to keeping you safe by providing medication management services, including instruction, compliance, set-up, IV therapy and injections. Learn more about our skilled nursing services, and contact us to schedule a consultation.

Winter has arrived, and many seniors are preparing for the cold months. Preparation includes more than just buying firewood!

Today, you’ll learn important winter home preparation tips for seniors that will help you stay healthy and happy this season.

Change Your Wardrobe to Warmer Clothes

One of the most important things you can do to prepare your home for winter is to change your wardrobe. Wear clothes that are made from warmer, more insulating fabrics like wool. Be sure to also swap out lighter fall jackets for heavier ones that provide greater warmth.

You may also want to opt for cozy slippers and socks to keep your feet warm. If you tend to feel cold, consider wearing a hat, scarf, and gloves inside your house as well.

Check Your Heating System

Test your home’s heating system and make sure it’s in good working order. Schedule a maintenance checkup with a qualified technician if necessary.

If you’re using a space heater, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Never use an electric space heater in your bathroom or bedroom. Also, don’t place space heaters directly on carpeting because it could catch fire.

If you use an electric blanket at night, make sure to read the instructions carefully and unplug when not in use. Keep anything flammable away from heating devices like radiators, open flames (candles), or portable heaters that are placed too close to any fabric surfaces (curtains, furniture).

Address Any Car Maintenance Issues

Before winter hits, practice some important care maintenance best practices, such as:

Get an Oil Change if You Haven’t in a While

Dirty oil doesn’t work well in cold weather, so it’s important to get a fresh oil change before winter sets in. This will help your engine run smoothly during these months.

Check Your Tire Pressure

Low tire pressure can be dangerous during the winter months, so be sure to check your tires and fill them with the right amount of air if necessary. Inspect them for any signs of an air leak as well and make an appointment with a reliable mechanic if you notice a flat or leaking tire.

Make Sure Your Tires Aren’t Worn Down

If your tire treads are excessively worn down, it’s time to get new ones. Bald tires cannot grip the road effectively for safe travel in the wintertime.

Check Your Battery

Driving in the snow and ice requires more energy from your car battery than driving in warmer conditions. The average car battery will last three years, so if you are near this or over, make an appointment to replace it with a new one.

If the Heat in Your Car Doesn’t Work, Repair It

If the heat in your car doesn’t work, it’s important to get it fixed as soon as possible. Not only will you be uncomfortable while driving, but a lack of heat can be dangerous if you are stranded in your vehicle.

Prepare an Emergency Car Kit

An emergency car survival kit is a good idea for any wintertime trip, but it’s especially important if you’re traveling in the snow and ice. Winter weather can be unpredictable!

Include items like:

• Jumper cables
• A road flare kit
• Ice scraper
• A spare pair of gloves and winter hat
• Hand warmers
• Blankets
• A small broom
• Sand or cat litter to help give your tires extra traction

Prepare for Power Outages

It is also a good idea to prepare your home for winter emergencies, such as broken heating systems or power outages that can leave you without electricity. You may want to purchase some extra blankets just in case!

You may also want to consider stocking up on any daily essentials like food, medications, water, batteries, and matches so you don’t run out during a snowstorm or other cold-weather emergency situation.

In the event you might lose power during a snowstorm or other emergency, purchasing a portable generator can help power a space heater or other electronic devices if you are unable to leave your home immediately.

Make Sure Your Walkways Are Cleared of Ice

Icy sidewalks, porches, and driveways can increase the dangers of falls for seniors. Purchase some ice melt from a local store and sprinkle it over your shoveled walkway after it has been cleared. This will reduce or eliminate the ice on these paths and allow you to move with a significantly lower risk of slipping.

Ask Your Neighbors for Help

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with all of the winter home preparation tasks, don’t be afraid to ask your neighbors for help. They may be able to shovel your driveway or sidewalks, take out your trash on garbage day, or just check in with you when a snowstorm passes through your neighborhood.

Stay Healthy During the Winter by Continuing Your Home Healthcare Checkups

During the winter months, it is especially important to stay healthy and maintain your regular healthcare checkups. Winter conditions can put seniors at a higher risk for health complications like pneumonia or even dehydration if you’re outside long enough or exposed to extremely cold temperatures. Weather changes can also worsen asthma symptoms and other breathing problems.

At Ohioans, we provide compassionate at-home healthcare to seniors in Ohio and Michigan year-round, even in the coldest months. For more information on how we can help you or your loved one stay healthy and cared for this winter, contact us anytime for more information.

In today’s high-tech society, it’s no wonder that more and more seniors are turning to technology to improve the quality of their lives. From real-time health monitoring services to telehealth, reading apps, courier services, and beyond, many technologies are available to make life easier. Check out these six ways that technology for seniors can enhance their wellbeing.

Monitor Your Health with Real-Time Services

Monitoring your loved one’s health has never been easier, thanks to real-time health monitoring apps and services. Devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers can track sleeping patterns, monitor heart rate, send movement reminders, and even contact emergency services in the event of an accident, such as a fall.

According to the CDC, 36 million seniors fall every year, leading to over 32,000 deaths annually. Wearable technology isn’t just for the young and fit – now it’s for everyone and can even save lives. For example, Apple Watches have an Emergency SOS feature that can call local authorities or predefined emergency contacts while sharing your location to them.

Connect with Doctors Online Instantly

Say goodbye to dreary waiting rooms and hello to medicine in the comfort of your home. Innovations in telemedicine have made it possible for seniors to maintain their independence to connect with doctors online using video call features on telehealth apps. Such technology offers a range of services that make healthcare more manageable and more accessible.

From on-demand video chats with doctors to virtual preventative health visits, there’s an app for that. There are similar apps available for download where seniors can access their medical records via a web portal or track their vital signs with remote monitoring devices. Telehealth apps are an excellent option for those who want more peace of mind without sacrificing their self-sufficiency. Best of all, there’s no more waiting weeks for an appointment or deal with being put on hold.

Enjoy Favorite Books

If your loved one loves to read books but finds it difficult to see the pages, reading apps can be a lifesaver! Today’s technology for seniors has made it easy to enjoy reading again, thanks to free reading apps like Libby, Kindle, Scribd, and Audible. Many of these apps have features that can bring up favorite titles in large print or even in audiobook format, so all one has to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy a good story or two during their retirement. Whether your loved one wants a similar experience of going to a library and checking out a book or the option to purchase a title, there is an app that can satisfy their needs.

Stay Connected to Loved Ones with Social Media

No matter where you and your loved ones are located, you can both beat isolation blues by staying connected with social media. Social media apps like Facebook and Instagram make it simple for seniors to develop relationships with loved ones even from afar. Some apps, like Pinterest, can stimulate creativity with their many “do-it-yourself” project pins that are certain to keep all ages active.

Run Errands Without Leaving Home

In the event that your loved one discovers they’ve run out of paper towels or are out of an ingredient they needed for dinner, there’s no need to panic, thanks to online courier services. Services such as Amazon, Instacart, or DoorDash make it easy to have everyday items, groceries, and warm meals delivered straight to your doorstep. Services like these are great options for those who cannot drive or have limited mobility since they eliminate the need for unnecessary travel.

Stay Informed

While many seniors live healthy and active lives, the truth is that aging is inevitable. Luckily, there is a great selection of reputable health and wellness websites where seniors and their loved ones can research medical conditions and treatment options. For example, NIH Senior Health is an extension of the National Institute of Health. It provides a wealth of information on topics on everything from bone health to nutrition and beyond.

These are just a few incredible ways that seniors can use technology to improve their quality of life. If you have a loved one who is inevitably aging, consider helping them learn to use electronics so they can take advantage of these fantastic benefits.

The Ohioans team strives to remain as technologically current as possible so we can work alongside medical providers to support at-home telehealth treatment plans for your aging loved ones. Contact us today for more information on how we can help your loved one enjoy greater independence while continuing to live in the comfort and familiarity of their home.