Older people in Co. Durham, are being encouraged to take extra care and stay active over the winter months to keep as strong as possible and prevent ill health.
Older people can become vulnerable quickly during the winter as a result of staying indoors for long periods of time. Health experts from NHS England have come up with five top tips which could help people stay stronger and healthier.
Five top tips
1. Keep active: Lack of movement and exercise can mean people become frail quicker. Using the stairs is a good source of exercise, but make sure they are safe.
2. Eat well: Older people can often experience lack of appetite. By making sure they eat at least one substantial hot meal each day with snacks in between and hot drinks, they will remain stronger for longer.
3. Exercise caution when taking medication, especially medicines that haven’t been prescribed by a doctor: Older people with frailty are very sensitive to medicines because the body has trouble getting rid of them. This can mean a normal dose of medicine can build up in the body and can cause an adverse reaction.
4. Take vitamin D supplements: Taking a vitamin D supplement, commonly as a tablet combined with calcium, is associated with a reduced rate of falling for those who are older and housebound.
5. Try to stay in touch with friends and family: Loneliness is a risk factor for depression, poor sleep, impaired thinking skills, higher use of health care with more GP visits, higher use of medication, and higher incidents of falls.
Dr Mike Guy, medical director for Durham, Darlington, Tees area team of NHS England, said:
“We all want to enjoy life to the full and remain independent for as long as possible, which is why we’re encouraging older people to follow our five top tips to stay well throughout the winter.
“Relatives and friends who know an older person can also help them to stay healthy and provide support when it’s needed.
“By making sure they eat well and move around as much as they can, people will see a positive difference in their physical and mental well-being.”
NHS England has launched the ‘The earlier, the better’ public awareness campaign, which is designed to encourage people to nip health problems in the bud and avoid unnecessary stays in hospital.  The campaign is particularly targeting people aged over 60 years old and the friends and family of older people.