Safeguarding Driveways and Walkways in Winter

On the SureSafe blog, we often discuss the importance of safety in the home – especially for seniors. Measures such as fall-proofing a home and getting a home assessment for accessibility needs can make a huge difference in protecting older people from harm.

But it’s important to remember that safeguarding the outside of a home is just as important as adapting the inside. That’s particularly crucial for seniors, who may be more likely to suffer falls on icy or snowy surfaces.

So, if you’re an elderly person or caring for an older loved one, what can you do to make outdoor spaces around the home safer? In this post, we’ll run through a few top tips and why they’re essential to combat wintertime hazards at home.

The dangers of low temperatures outside

Cold outdoor spaces, including your own driveway or front garden, can be more hazardous than many people realise.

For one, lower temperatures increase the risks of heart attacks and strokes – which is bad news for seniors who already have risk factors like high blood pressure. Since cold air tightens up the pulmonary system, it can also cause problems for older people with conditions such as emphysema.

Physical exertion to clear snow or ice around the home can add to these risks as it’s harder on the body.

Moreover, icy ground naturally means a greater chance of slips and falls, which are a serious concern in the elderly. Seniors with arthritis may also find that their joints are stiffer, again increasing the likelihood of a fall.

And dark winter nights could mean that an older person who has fallen isn’t spotted as quickly as they would be in the sunshine. That’s a serious problem, because hypothermia can set in fast – in addition to other effects that seniors face when they are unable to get up from a fall and don’t receive help right away.

Reducing risks in the space surrounding your home

The good news is that some simple steps can significantly reduce the dangers associated with cold weather in your driveway, paths and walkways.

Combatting falls

Firstly, you’ll want to make sure you’ve thoroughly salted or gritted all hard walking surfaces. If you’ve had to shovel snow, salt the ground afterwards to prevent ice from forming overnight. For guidance about how to salt or grit your property, take a look at your local council’s website, which may have advice relevant to your area. The UK government recommends salting as the preferred option, with ash, sand or grit coming in second-best if salting isn’t possible.

If you’re trying to remove ice on your property, it’s a good idea to do this early in the day. That way, your walkway or driveway will be exposed to the warmest weather – which reduces the chance of re-freezing.

This is another reason why it’s also key to make sure there are no sources of water around your home – like a blocked gutter or garden hose that’s not drained, which could break and then freeze in a swath of ice over your driveway or patio.

Another important move is to make sure that all stairs have handrails and that the handrails are secure and able to bear weight. You’ll also want to ensure there are no wobbly steps or paving stones that jut up and could cause a fall.

Good lighting is essential, too. Elderly people’s night vision is poorer even if their day vision is good, so some lights over paths to the home can really help decrease the chance of falls.

Lastly, we’ll mention the issue of extension cords and decorations. Although decorating your home for celebrations like Christmas and New Year’s can be fun, it’s always important to ensure nothing like a cord is blocking a path or causing a trip hazard.

Addressing risks of medical emergencies

How about the dangers of heart attacks, strokes or other medical emergencies in the cold weather?

It’s often recommended that older people avoid shovelling snow or taking hard exercise when it’s cold outside.

Furthermore, it’s crucial that seniors have a way of calling for help if they do have an emergency outdoors. A dizzy spell, a heart attack or a slip on the ice are all dangerous in their own ways, but they’re even riskier when they result in an elderly person lying alone in freezing temperatures outdoors. Since older people’s bodies are less able to manage being cold, they’re liable to go into hypothermia more quickly.

What’s needed here is an elderly personal alarm. These can be worn as either a pendant or a wrist alarm resembling a smart watch. Whichever option is chosen, the personal alarm is designed to be wearable even in the shower, so it’s with the owner at all times.

Then, when a fall or other crisis occurs outside in the cold, the alarm allows an older person to call for help immediately – meaning there are no delays that allow hypothermia to set in or risk health in other ways.

With most personal alarms, the senior wearing the alarm can press and hold a single button to call for help. Many alarms also feature automatic fall detection. With this function, the alarm is uses multiple types of sensors to constantly assess whether a fall has occurred. If the alarm concludes that it is detecting a fall, it will call for assistance all on its own – no action needed from the wearer at all. This protects seniors in situations where they are too unwell even to press a button, or if they’re unconscious after a fall.

Get peace of mind during winter with SureSafe

Older people’s independence is often crucial for their happiness. If an elderly person loves living in their own home, they can stay there for longer with good supports and preparation. That includes addressing potential winter hazards and getting a personal alarm – so that being alone never means being without help when it’s needed.

That’s why SureSafe is dedicated to providing easy-to-use, affordable and effective personal alarms. We’re a leading UK provider, in fact, and our stellar reviews are a testament to our commitment to safety.

Interested in getting a personal alarm or just chatting about what options are available? Reach out to our experts on 0808 189 1671, and we’d be happy to talk with you. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our live chat or request a call back.