Protecting seniors and inactive vulnerable people from the bitter cold of winter is a priority in all of the United States.  The dangers of winter lurks for the aging and disabled in both frigid and cool temperatures. Dehydration and rooms kept too cold can cause hypothermia.

Check the homes of loved ones and clients to make sure that they are kept warm and dry. Remember that rooms need to be kept ventilated, (not drafty), but warmer for the aging and inactive people than for younger and active people. Make sure that the clients are hydrated with decaffeinated or non alcoholic beverages.

Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can be produced. The dangers include irregular heartbeat and death.  When the outside temperature starts to drop, the danger of hypothermia goes up for many seniors and inactive people. Since aging and low income people tend to keep the homes cooler than recommended, hypothermia is a greater danger.

Detection of hypothermia takes knowledge of the symptoms and the client or loved one.

The symptoms for hypothermia are subtle and can happen inside homes where the temperature has dropped to as much as 65 degrees and below.  .

Caregivers can detect hypothermia in clients and take measures to bring body temperatures up to normal.
The normal temperature of 98.6 may drop below 95 degrees.  If this happens, it may be an indication of hypothermia and  the client may also have one or more of the following symptoms.

There may be changes in behavior and routine.

According to the National Institute on Aging, the client may be more confused, sleepy and disoriented than normal.  For persons with dementia, it may be more prudent to check for physical signs, since confusion, sleepiness, changes in behavior and disorientation is part of the disease and hard to monitor intensity.

Physical changes may appear or increase in intensity.

Check the pulse and note if the client starts to shiver, or become rigid.  Clients with no physical impairments may have poor control over body movements.  The speech may become more slurred, with indications of a dryer mouth in clients that have no other medical reason for these reactions.

Taking quick action to get emergency help and give immediate care is essential.

The National Institute on Aging recommends calling 911 if the temperature does not soon rise above 96 degrees Fahrenheit. For persons with severe symptoms, calling 911 should be the first order of action.  Then, start the warming up process while waiting for emergency help.

Keep clients warm and dry by wrapping them in whatever is available. Move them to the warmest area possible.  Caregiver steps for increasing body temperature for the hypothermia victim may take getting in bed and providing more body heat.

It’s o.k. to hydrate the client with warm liquids, but remember not to give them caffeine or alcohol which adds to the hypothermia process.

Resources and References

Hypothermia - Medline Plus National Institute on Aging. Clarice Cook

MOst info important in today is:
Lunar Eclipse Live Camera Scenario 20th December Footage Photos
This December lunar eclipse of 2010 is especially well placed for observers throughout the entire North America. The eclipse occurs as the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow. One of the greatest things about lunar eclipses is that they are completely safe to view with the naked eye without using any special equipment.

“During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon’s disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red and more rarely dark brown to very dark gray,” says Fred Espenak, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

NASA has provided a list of web sites offering live views from around the country and the globe, all in real time. The moon is normally illuminated by the sun. Duringa total lunar eclipse, the full moon passes through the shadow created by the Earth blocking the sun’s light. Some indirect sunlight will still manage to pierce through and give the moon a ghostly color.

A total lunar eclipse will cause the moon to take on a dramatically colorful appearance on early Tuesday. Tuesday’s lunar eclipse lasts approximately three hours and twenty-eight minutes starting at 1:33 a.m. EST