The weather has turned decidedly wintery in several parts of the country. Heavy snowstorms can lead to being snowbound, unable to leave the house or downed power lines and lack of heat. In such conditions, the temperature inside your house can drop quickly. During times like these, older adults are at a high risk of hypothermia.

Hypothermia occurs when the body’s temperature goes too low and can occur when you stay in a cool place for too long. Even a drop in body temperature of a couple of degrees can lead to heart problems and even death.

What are the signs of hypothermia? According to the National Institute on Aging, you should look for the ‘umbles - stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles. Keep an eye out for these symptoms:

* Confusion or sleepiness
* Slowed, slurred speech, or shallow breathing
* Weak pulse or low blood pressure
* A change in behavior during cold weather or a change in appearance
* A lot of shivering or no shivering; stiffness in the arms or legs
* Chilly rooms or other signs that they have been in a cold place
* Poor control over body movements or slow reactions

If you think you or someone else could be suffering from hypothermia, call for emergency assistance or get medical attention right away.

Some medical conditions can make you more susceptible to hypothermia. For more information on your risk factors and how to avoid hypothermia, visit the NIA website.

Don’t put those sunglasses away just yet. The advent of winter doesn’t mean the end of the risk of sun damage to eyes. Although the winter sun may emit lower levels of UV radiation, a snow cover can reflect up to 80% of UV rays, more than doubling their effect. The glare of winter sun can contribute to cataract formation and even cause burns to the cornea resulting in “snow blindness”. Sunglasses need to be more than just dark, they need to block both UVA and UVB rays to protect winter eyes. Wraparound sunglasses are most effective because UV rays can enter the eye from the sides, above and below regular sunglasses.

Additionally, dry heat indoors can lead to dry eyes, a condition that can lead to irritated eyes that may get rubbed vigorously, causing scratches and more irritation. Eye drops that simulate tears can be used to keep the eyes from becoming too dry. Using a humidifier indoors will also help keep the air from becoming too dry.

The air outdoors can also dry out eyes. Often the cold and dry air whips around the face, drying the natural tear film that protects eyes. Artificial tears and sunglasses, scarves, wide-brimmed hats - anything to protect from winter wind - will help prevent this from occurring.

Buy eye protection products at our Golden Agers Store

‘Tis the season for holiday decorating but be careful - some of those decorative seasonal plants are poisonous and dangerous or even fatal if ingested. Be wary of pets and grandchildren who might visit and keep these out of reach if you have them on display.

The red Holly berry is highly toxic and can be fatal, even in small amounts.

Known as the kissing plant, Mistletoe berries are poisonous. Both leaves and stems are also poisonous. Kiss under the mistletoe but don’t put your lips near the plant itself.

Jerusalem Cherry also has red berries which are poisonous. All parts of this plant are toxic if ingested.

The berries, leaves and stems of Bittersweet are all poisonous.

It’s long been known that the Poinsettia plant contains an irritant that can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It’s not as poisonous as once thought, but can make someone seriously ill if ingested.

A story in the news brings to light once again the dangers of injury and accident in the home, and how accidents could happen in ways we don’t expect.

69-year-old Inga Walen was trapped for four days in her kichen after her refrigerator fell on top of her.

The fridge toppled on the Roseville, CA woman as she opened its door because there was too much weight on top shelves and much less weight on the bottom shelves. Inga was able to reach a wooden spoon and a pan lid with which she banged noisily and cried for help.

A local politician, Greg Allen, was campaigning door-to-door when he heard her cries for help and rescued her from her four-day ordeal.

Inga broke her collar bone and injured her legs but survived her ordeal. As for Allen, she says she doesn’t care which political party he belongs to, he’s got her vote.

At this site there’s a Housing Safety Checklist that points out common things that can cause accident or injury in the home. I did notice that it doesn’t list unbalanced refrigerators.

Perhaps a good item to add to the list is to make sure that all large or heavy appliances are in areas where the floor is level or, if they have adjustable leveling feet, that they are set properly so there is no risk of them toppling over from uneven weight loads.

Above all, read the checklist and make yourself aware of common risks and dangers that could cause unnecessary injury or even death.