Winters in Toronto can be beautiful but for many seniors, it can also bring serious safety challenges. Things like slippery sidewalks, freezing temperatures, and isolation can put older adults at risk.

As someone with an aging parent or loved one who’s living alone, preparing in advance for winter can make a lot of difference. And in this guide, I’ll share some practical winter safety tips for Toronto seniors and how the right in home care services can help your loved one stay warm and cared for throughout the season.

Take Steps to Prevent Indoors and Outdoors Slips and Falls

During winter season, sidewalks and driveways in Toronto often freeze overnight after light snow. For seniors, a small patch of ice can cause a slip or some serious injury. To prevent this, you want to take steps to:

• Clear snow and salt walkways at regular intervals
• Encourage seniors to wear slip-resistant boots (with a solid ankle support)
• Keep entrances well-lit and clutter-free
• Use sturdy handrails on steps and porches to avoid slips

If your loved one is struggling with mobility or unable to have this in place, our house keeping and home support experts can help you to fix snow clearing, housekeeping, light chores and errands during the season.

Keep Warm & Monitor Room Temperature

According to a research by the National Institute on Aging, older adults are more vulnerable to cold weather. They fall sick more often than younger people and extensive exposure to cold can lead to serious consequences. For this reason, you have to keep them warm and monitor indoor temperature throughout the winter season.

Here’s a checklist of further steps you can take to keep elders warm during winter:

• Keep indoor temperatures around 21 °C (70 °F)
• Encourage them to wear layers indoors, especially socks and slippers
• Schedule furnace maintenance early in the season
• Stock up on heating oil, salt, and supplies that will help keep them warm

Where you’re looking to hire professional care and assistance service providers to take care of this, you want to consider a service that has options for daily check-ins to ensure these things are in place and your loved one isn’t under-heating to save money.

Encourage Social Connection to Reduce Winter Isolation

Icy Winters can make keep seniors at home, making them feel cut off from family, friends and their loved ones. Such isolation can affect their physical and mental health if allowed to continue for a long time.

As your loved one prepares to get into another winter season, it is important to take the following steps to keep them connected:

• Scheduling weekly video or phone calls to check in on them
• Inviting family for short visits or shared meals at intervals
• Encouraging your loved ones to take up hobbies like crafts, puzzles, or reading groups
• You can also consider engaging a companionship and social engagement agency to visit regularly or at intervals to engage your loved one in conversation or activities

Taking these steps can go a long way in improving the mood of your loved one during the season, reducing depression and keeping them mentally active until the season winds out.

Make Plans for Weather Friendly Transportation Options

Moving around during winter in Toronto can be tricky even for young and healthy adults. For seniors, it can get even more challenging especially taking icy sidewalks or when transit becomes unreliable, leading to frustration or even danger.

Avoiding these calls for a ready plan that puts into consideration the weather limitations and the needs of your loved one. This will mean that you may have to:

• Consider avoiding or rescheduling travel plans during snowstorms or when the weather is freezing.

• Use accessible TTC routes or Wheel-Trans services when it is necessary
• Have them properly dressed for the weather before stepping out
• Book private transportation support service for elders to offer support for appointment and errands.
• Invest in non-slip footwears for walks, errands or general mobility during the period

True Affinity Care’s Transportation Support Services ensures seniors move around safely without worrying about slips and falls whether they are going for shopping, walks, medical visits, social events etc. during winter and other seasons.

Keep a Healthy Eating Habit and Hydration

The cold season can lead to a loss of appetite for most people, including seniors. The cold weather can also cause seniors to drink less water thereby increasing weakness or even leading to dehydration in some cases.

You need to have in place a healthy eating regime if this is to be avoided. This will mean taking meal safety tips like:

• Planning hot balanced meals with the right quantity of protein and vegetables
• Having in stock healthy soups and frozen fruits
• Scheduling regular store runs or home delivery for important groceries
• Hiring meal prep support if cooking becomes difficult during the period
• Avoid alcohol and cold drinks during the period as this can lead to a loss in body heat

With this in place, you’ll have your loved one’s meals taken care of during the winter season.

Prioritize Weather Friendly Clothing

Seniors are more prone to feeling cold due to age related or medically related conditions. Using weather friendly clothing both indoors and outdoors can trap body heat, keeping them warm during the weather.

So, to dress your loved one for the winter season, you have to consider:

• Dressing in layers, both indoors and outdoors
• Using blankets for extra warmth while sitting or sleeping
• Wearing hats, gloves etc. to keep warm from frostbites while going out
• Wearing warm, loose-fitting layers and insulated socks

Taking these steps to keep your loved ones warm during winter can protect them from cold and conditions like hypothermia.

Know Where to Find Local Toronto Resources

In case your loved ones need help, consider reaching out to the following

• City of Toronto Senior Services: toronto.ca/seniors
• Toronto Ride Program: torontoride.ca
• True Affinity Care: trueaffinitycare.com, Providing in home care services for seniors in Toronto

In addition to that, watch out for local weather reports to be updated with weather conditions and prepare accordingly. And finally. Keep your loved one active while indoors during the season.

Final Words

Winter in Toronto does not have to cause a lot of concern or even isolation for our seniors. With a bit of planning and the right support your loved one can stay safe, warm, and cared for, whether during winter or any season whatsoever. And you can start your plans with these steps for the winter season.

Remember, At True Affinity Care, we provide compassionate in-home care, companionship, housekeeping, and transportation services tailored to Toronto families.

Reach out to us for a free winter home-care consultation and see how we can help your family prepare for a safe, comfortable season during this winter and the holidays.