Even though spring is on the horizon there is still some cold weather to get through before it arrives. Seniors, especially seniors with weak lungs or with lung illnesses like lung cancer or COPD, need to take special precautions to avoid damaging their lungs with extremely cold air. Even in relatively healthy seniors cold dry winter air can set off asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, or cause wheezing. In-home care providers can make sure they are taking precautions.
Here are some things that seniors can do to protect their lungs if they do need to go out in cold temperatures:
Wear A Mask
Wearing a mask is something that most seniors should be doing when they go out in the winter anyway. Masks can help prevent illnesses like colds, the flu, and COVID-19 which all be damaging to seniors. But wearing a mask can also help blunt some of the impact of the cold air when seniors need to go outside during the winter. Wearing a mask can also keep warm breath close to the face after exhalation which can mitigate some of that cold. In-home care for seniors is great for making sure that seniors have a mask with them every time they go out.
Breathe Through The Nose
Breathing through the nose instead of the mouth is something that seniors should get used to doing in the wintertime. When seniors breathe through their nose instead of their mouth the nose will humidify and warm the air as it travels the nasal passages so it’s not shockingly cold and dry when it gets to the lungs. Breathing through the mouth does that to an extent, but the nose does it better.
Wear A Scarf and Dress As Warmly As Possible
Seniors who don’t want to wear a mask can wear a scarf lightly layered over their mouth and nose to filter the cold air and make it less of a shock. An in-home caregiver can make sure that seniors have a scarf with them when they go out and make sure they don’t lose their scarf. Seniors who prefer scarves should try wearing an infinity scarf, which is a scarf where the ends are joined to make a continuous loop. Once the scarf goes on it won’t fall off and seniors can twist and arrange the scarf to form a secure layer across their mouth and nose.
Being cold will put the entire body under stress, so it can help minimize the shock of breathing in cold air if seniors are dressed as warmly as possible. Seniors should wear plenty of light layers in the winter and make sure they have a sweater or sweatshirt as their top layer. With a heavy coat on over the sweater or sweatshirt and gloves, a hat, and a scarf seniors should be fine to be outdoors in cold weather. But it wouldn’t hurt to put some hand warmers in the gloves and maybe in the hat too just to make sure that your senior parent is toasty warm.
If you or a family member need to hire In-Home Care Services in Huntington NY or the surrounding areas, contact the caring professionals at Star Multi Care Services today at (631)956-8835. We are the Right Choice for Home Health Care Services!
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