Vital to take precautions for older people during extreme winter weather

Charity Age UK is urging the public to check on older people in their community, with minus temperatures and heavy snowfall already set in and with little in the way of respite forecast before the weekend is over.

Director general Michelle Mitchell offers advice: “With a new wave of freezing weather fast approaching, it’s vital that older people and their families take sensible precautions to protect themselves from the cold.

“Simple steps such as closing the bedroom window at night, keeping room temperature at 70°F (21°c) if at home during the day, and wrapping up well when outside, can literally save lives.

“Anyone who needs help or advice in the coming days or weeks should call Age UK Advice free of charge on 0800 169 65 65 or download our ‘Winter wrapped up’ guide from our campaign website www.spreadthewarmth.org.uk”

The Spread the Warmth campaign was launched with the support of TV presenter Fiona Phillips and is dedicated to preventing unnecessary deaths amongst older people over the winter period because of the cold – estimated to number as much as 24,000 people in the UK.

Speaking of her reasons for supporting the campaign, Ms Phillips says: “I’m just very passionate about older people actually.

“I think they’re very much treated as a separate species and that’s why I say ‘older people’, not ‘the elderly’ or that sort of thing, because it just compartmentalises.

“We’re all heading that way you know, people become old, unless they’re very unfortunate, so I’ve always been very passionate about that. Hearing some of the stories it really is heartbreaking.

“People might have had children, achieved things in their lives and they’re full of wisdom and experience, but they're sitting on their own and they’re cold and terribly, terribly lonely. It’s heartbreaking.”