Keeping Warm in Winter

In winter, more people get ill and the number of deaths rises. There is a direct link between cold weather and the higher death rate, especially amongst older people and others in groups at risk.

Remember though - winter needn't be dangerous if you take the right steps.

Looking out for trouble

If someone has had an accident in their home, fallen and injured themselves or been taken ill, they may not be able to attract attention of neighbours, passers-by or people who call at the door. Always be on the look-out for signs that something might be wrong, especially when the weather is cold.

There are many signs to look out for:

Curtains drawn during the day
Dog barking all day or cat scratching to be let in
Lights burning during the day
Home in darkness when there should be someone at home
Milk not taken in late in the day
Newspapers stuck in the letterbox

Please see Keeping Warm in Winter - Hypothermia for information on how to identify and deal with hypothermia - one of the most serious cold-induced conditions.

Prevention

Clearly, it is important to prevent people from becoming cold in the first place. Family, friends and neighbours in the community can look out for those who might be at risk from the cold. Prevention is always easier than cure!

How can you help yourself keep warm?

Safety is important in all aspects of keeping yourself warm. Care should be taken when using electric blankets or filling hot water bottles. Never use a hot water bottle and an electric blanket together, as this is extremely dangerous and could give you an electric shock.

If you are 60 or over, or living with a person who is 60 or over, you may be entitled to some additional financial help to heat your home in the wintertime, and especially during periods of very cold weather.

The Department of Health website contains a Keep Warm, Keep Well leaflet that you can download. These give information on how to keep warm - including contact telephone numbers and what financial help may be available.

Note that if you decide to print this leaflet, you will need to go into the Print dialogue box and select the option to shrink oversized pages to A4 paper size to make sure that the pages fit on an A4 sheet of paper.