Winter Safety

In the winter, I am always cold—in my house! So I wear layers of clothes and socks to combat my freeze-baby tendencies. Whether inside the home or outside in the elements, take steps protect yourself against the dropping numbers on the thermometer.

Hypothermia (hi-po-ther-mee-uh) occurs when a person’s body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit because of exposure to cold, either indoors or outside. Low body temperature can cause heart attack, kidney problems, liver damage and sometimes death. According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 600 people in the United States, half of them age 65 or older, die from hypothermia each year.

“Older adults can lose body heat faster than when they were young, and some health problems and medicines can make it harder for them to stay warm,” says NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D.

There is a brochure available to help you. To preview or order free copies, or for more information about Stay Safe in Cold Weather! and other NIA publications, visit the NIA Web site at www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/staysafe or call 1-800-222-2225. Bulk orders are welcome.

Are you bothered by cold winter temperatures? Have you found a way to combat it? Share your ideas with your fellow readers. We'd love to hear from you soon.

Use It So You Don’t Lose It

You can maintain cognitive capabilities as you age according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study entitled: The Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly or ACTIVE found that community-dwelling seniors who received cognitive training had less of a decline in certain thinking skills than their peers who did not have the training.

Three groups received specialized training. One group focused on memory, the second on reasoning and the third on speed of processing information. A fourth group received no training. Members of the first three groups increased their cognitive skills, even five years after the training ended.

“The challenge now is to further examine these interventions and others to see how they can be employed in real-world settings,” says NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. The lesson is clear—use it so you don’t lose it.

For more information, visit the National Institutes of Health.

Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for 2007

Have you signed up for the Medicare Prescription drug plan? According to the Medicare web site they suggest, “Enroll as soon as possible – the sooner the better – to avoid any inconvenience at the pharmacy counter in January. However, if you’re satisfied with your current plan’s cost and coverage for next year and the customer service you receive, you don’t need to do anything.”

For more information visit the Medicare site.

Have a Happy, Safe New Year

Start the New Year with a focus on fall prevention. Do you know what to do to prevent a fall? According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons falls occur mainly in the home. So making some simple changes around the house can reduce your risk of a fall and serious injury. Included on the AAOS checklist are the following suggestions:

*Install handrails on both sides of the stairway and use them.
*Do not place loose area rugs at the bottom or top of stairs.
*Keep a telephone near your bed.
*Keep a flashlight near your bed.
*Arrange furniture to create clear pathways between rooms.
*Immediately clean up any liquid, grease or food spilled on the floor.
*Store food, dishes and cooking equipment at easy-to-reach waist-high level.

For a more comprehensive home safety checklist to prevent falls visit: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

We’d like to hear from you. Share with your fellow readers tips you have in place to prevent falls.