Don’t Let Winter Be Detrimental To Your Well-Being

So far this winter, we’ve had more snow, ice and cold weather than we have for several years. The occurrence of bad weather can be very impactful to the overall well-being of people, especially as they age.  Bad weather can lead to falls, illness and isolation.

Falls are one of the leading causes of people going to the hospital and needing long term care. Many times these falls happen because of slippery surfaces or because we’re trying to “fix” those surfaces so they aren’t so slick by applying salt or shoveling snow.  At John Knox Village East, we offer residential rehabilitation, as well as outpatient rehab in addition to long term care.  We take care of your needs, whether they be a short term solution to get you back on your feet or a circumstance where you need ongoing care.

Illness also seems to rear its ugly head during winter time. It’s the season of sniffles, colds and flu.  In some cases, these sicknesses can progress into something more severe and lead to hospitalization.  It’s not uncommon for folks to get worn down due to sickness and need built back up to regain their strength.  In our short term rehab center, we help people regain their previous level of function and well-being.  Many times this is needed because people put off going to the doctor and heading off an illness before it progresses into something more serious.  At John Knox Village East, with our nurses on site, we can head sickness off before it becomes more serious.

Isolation is also more intensified during the bad weather of the winter months. Whether it be snow, ice or just plain cold weather, people are more likely to stay inside when the weather is bad. I’ve had numerous people tell me, “We got snowed in for 2 weeks one winter and that did it for us – the next spring we moved to John Knox Village East.”  One of the benefits of being in a senior living community is that no matter what the weather, you can take a walk down the hall and run into a buddy that you can sit and have a nice conversation with.  It’s not good for us to be isolated.  Isolation has been shown to play a part in many diseases.  Where you choose to age is important.  You can read about the effects of living alone here:  https://www.whereyoulivematters.org/.  In addition to being able to be around people who are a similar stage of their lives, we help keep you nourished with  healthy meals, take away the risks of steps with elevators, head off illness with our on-site nursing staff and keep you active and engaged with our exercise classes, games and many other activities.

Call us at 660-584-4416 or email us at info@johnknoxvillageeast.com to find out how you limit the negative effects of winter, snow and ice by living at John Knox Village East.