How to Stay Safe and Happy, Even in the Height of an Ohio Winter

Let’s face it: winter in the Midwest can be difficult, especially for seniors. Ohio winters can be sunless, snowy and cold. If you get motivated to go outside, you have to confront the chilly temperatures, plus the ice and snow. But staying in the house all winter can feel boring, depressing and lonely. So, how do you get through the depth of winter in a way that’s safe and happy?

The first thing to keep in mind is that this takes a bit of effort and planning. If winter is a difficult season for you, make a commitment to orchestrating a better winter in 2020. Identify those things that make winter hard and actively work against those. Consider these tips to get started.

Strike your balance

What does balance look like for you? Maybe to feel comfortable in your weekly schedule, you need to have a couple of days that you stay in and a couple of days that you venture out. Perhaps you need a little outing each day to feel a sense of balance. Feeling balanced means that you don’t get that haunting feeling like you should be doing something else - that nagging feeling like you’re itching to get out or that uncomfortable sense that you’d rather be back at home.

Even if you’re less mobile than you once were, your preferences are still important and listening to those still plays a significant role in helping you find your peace and happiness. So, decide what you need.

Be bold

Winter may not feel like the time to take chances, but it can be an emotionally difficult season if you don’t. It might require some “safe risk-taking” to keep yourself socially connected during the winter months. Clearly, you don’t want to take dangerous risks, but enrolling in a class, joining a book club or volunteering at church are examples of safe risks that can be helpful to your emotional stability and wellness during the winter months when socializing requires a strategy. It feels good to be socially connected, so make that part of your plan this winter. Consider using Cincinnati Area Senior Services Transport, which may help make this easier.

Encourage connection

Get connected via the Visiting Angels Social Care program. This way, you can connect with family and friends. You work with a professional from Visiting Angels Cincinnati West to get up and running on the internet, your cell phone and on social media. Winter is the perfect time to learn some new skills, and with the social care program, you can go at your own pace, and you’ll be supported every step of the way.

Maybe this is your year to activate an Uber or Lyft account, which can make it a snap to get a ride when it’s time to go to your next bunco game or knitting club meeting.

Help

Whether this means something as simple as feeding your birds, reading to children at the library, writing letters to American soldiers overseas or knitting hats and blankets for those in need, you have a lot to share. And you can do so from your home.

The world needs your skills, your love and your wisdom. Find ways you can to give back. We were made to help each other, and doing so feels right.

Prepare

While you need a good social plan, you also need a safe winter plan. Work with your Visiting Angels Cincinnati West Caregiver to make sure that you have all the winter supplies that you need - snow shovel, salt, flashlights, batteries, first aid kit, etc. You should also have a plan for what you would do as a back up source of heat, should the power go out. Additionally, it’s a good idea to have extra food and water on hand.

Remember

Winter can be difficult, but with the right planning and preparation, you can make it safe and happy.