I live in an independent senior care apartment. My suggestion concerning electric blankets is...turn it on 20 minutes before you plan to go to bed. Then turn it off when you crawl into that cozy next. If you have enough other blankets on the bed, your body heat will keep you cozy all night.
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Adding a cool mist humidifier helps keep skin, lips, and nasal passages from drying and cracking. Provides a tiny bit of help against the dehydration that happens so easily. Lip balm and hand lotion also help.
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Don't forget to watch for signs of hypothermia in older loved ones during the winter months, l
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A nurse at our local hospital gave me a great tip. Before taking your elder outside into the cold to your car- put their jacket into the dryer and warm it up! Works great for not only elders but us too! At home too I often put a dry flannel sheet into the dryer and then on to Mom before her nap so she is extra cozy. (Just have to be careful they are also not TOO warm!)
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When I see my mom at the home, I make sure she has a long sleeved shirt and a sweater on. Also, a nice warm scarf that I bought her and warm slippers and socks. She is always cold, her fingers are like ice. If they have the heat turned down, I also put a hat and gloves on.
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Ok, right there are 6 good reasons why many elderly shouldn't be living on their own, but living in independent/assistant retirement village where everything is self-contained.

Example, if the power goes out, chances are high the building has a back up generator. If one needs to see a doctor, there is one on-site or at least a nurse practitioner. No feeling all alone in a terrible blizzard, just walk down the hall to another resident's apartment or main gathering hall.

I dread winter as my parents still insist on living in their own home. It is so unfair not only to me but to their neighbors who feel they have to go out to help shove the driveway because they see my Dad out there shoveling.... Dad claims he needs to shovel in case there is an emergency.... emergency???.... Dad, the fire department and EMT's have shovels.

And my parents think because I have a Jeep that I can just run out and get bread/milk for them. If the weather is bad, I am not going anywhere, Jeep or not. When I was younger I loved it, but I am now pushing 70, that ship had sailed years ago. That is why I keep telling my parents to plan ahead and order more groceries when bad weather is approaching.
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Most of them are common sense, but a few things that we may not think of are:
Just because I am comfortable with the temperature, someone else may not be, and may not say anything about it. Also, we need to realize that cold weather does not mean that dehydration cannot be a problem.
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