CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- As the Chicago area braces for one of the coldest outbreaks in decades, SYNERGY Home Care services is urging people to look out for the elderly - whether they are a loved one, a neighbor or a stranger.
The local SYNERGY HomeCare office, which already checks in on the elderly as part of its business, wants others in the community to act as a Cold Weather Companion.
"Check on them. Make sure they have food in the house, make sure their heat is set correctly and urge them not to go outside in this type of weather," said Kevin Little, SYNERGY Spokesman.
It’s tough enough to cope with this weather, but our seniors face even more danger. A quick visit to an elderly neighbor could save their life.
Little said it's is also a good time to remind families taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s to take extra precautions to ensure their loved ones don't wander outside in the frigid temperatures. Three out of five Alzheimer’s patients will wander at some point after their diagnosis.
SYNERGY offers the following tips to keep dementia patients safe.
- Using a permanent marker, write identification and contact information into the clothes of a family member with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
- Keep a recent photo and medical information on hand to share with police and other authorities should a loved one wander off.
- Consider a GPS tracking program specifically designed for Alzheimer’s patients.
Other important information for seniors:
- If there is snow, don’t shovel. Seniors can get injured, or worse. It is common for people to experience heart attacks exerting themselves shoveling snow.
- Seniors also run the risk of slipping and falling on ice which could lead to a broken bone.
- Seniors should take care not to use an electric generator, camp stove, or similar device indoors since they produce carbon monoxide – an odorless, colorless gas that builds up in closed spaces and is deadly.
SYNERGY HomeCare has nine offices in the Chicagoland area. It employs hundreds of care givers who check in on the elderly daily.
