For someone with dementia, the winter months can be particularly challenging. Cold weather may sometimes worsen symptoms. Furthermore, they are not always able to convey that they feel cold, and they may not even realize it themselves.
As temperatures drop, families with dementia may experience increased stress, anxiety, and social isolation. Bad weather and colder temperatures can present particular challenges and occasionally temporarily worsen symptoms.
Dementia patients may have trouble communicating, making it difficult for them to describe how they feel in the cold and what they need to stay warm and healthy. They may forget to wear suitable clothes or to turn on the heat. That is why it is crucial to prepare beforehand for the cold season.
Here are a few tips for caregivers to help them ensure the safety and comfort of a person with dementia throughout the chilly winter months.
Ensure the person with dementia is dressed appropriately.
Ensuring the person with dementia is dressed appropriately for the colder months is crucial because they may not always remember to do so. Layering is essential for staying warm, and cotton, wool, or fleecy fibers are the most effective materials for retaining body heat.
Remember that the head and neck lose a lot of heat, so ensure the person wears a scarf and cap if you’re going outside. Gloves are also essential to keep hands warm. Also, ensure the person is wearing suitable footwear (such as non-skid boots) if it’s icy or snowy.
Keep the room warm.
Ensure that any rooms used during the day stay warm to around 20 degrees Celsius. In addition to turning on the heater, thermal curtains, draught-proofing, and roof insulation can assist in keeping the temperature consistent.
Keep a blanket close at hand for a person with dementia so they can reach for it in case they feel cold. Use an electric blanket or a hot water bottle to keep the bed warm at night.
Encourage frequent physical activity.
Maintaining physical activity can improve circulation and assist in keeping a person with dementia warm. Therefore, encourage them to move around at least once every hour.
Simply getting the person to move their arms, legs, and toes if walking is difficult or going outdoors is challenging due to severe weather can be beneficial.
Utilize daylight as much as possible.
In the winter, a person with dementia may experience more confusion, anxiety, and even depression due to less sunlight.
You can help by exposing them to natural daylight whenever feasible. Get outside whenever you can; even a short stroll or a brief period spent sitting in the yard can have a profound impact.
Keep your curtains open throughout the day to let in as much daylight as possible. Additionally, you may arrange the furniture such that the dementia patient sits next to a window. Make sure all lights and lamps are on when the natural light begins to diminish.
Maintain a routine.
Someone with dementia may become confused or agitated following a significant shift in routine.
If you must alter someone’s schedule during the winter, such as modifying nap times or daily walks due to reduced daylight, try to do so slowly and gradually.
Watch out for snowy or icy weather.
Dementia patients may have trouble seeing icy patches on pavement or comprehending that snow might make a surface more slippery due to perception problems.
Take extra care to support the person with dementia if you’re going for a walk in slippery or snowy conditions. Urge them to walk more slowly and with smaller steps than they usually do.
Eat and drink regularly.
Staying warm requires a lot of energy, and a warm house increases dehydration risk. During the winter, it is critical to ensure that a person with dementia eats regular meals and gets adequate fluids.
Warm beverages can assist keep them at a suitable temperature, and snacks can help maintain energy levels throughout the day. They should abstain from alcohol since, although it makes you feel warm, it takes away essential heat from vital organs.
Order some Vitamin D.
It may be difficult to acquire enough sunlight and the vitamin D that comes from it to support the immune system and keep bones strong, especially in the winter. Supermarkets, pharmacies, and other stores provide numerous products that contain this essential supplement.
Look out for hypothermia signs.
The person with dementia may find it difficult to explain and feel how cold they are because of a decline in cognitive function and awareness. In some cases, this might result in hypothermia, a medical emergency.
Hypothermia symptoms might include shivering and cold skin (or no shivering if the condition is advanced), slurred speech and confusion, and shallow breathing and drowsiness.
Alzheimer’s Research Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We provide the latest information and news about the illness and helpful tips to help caregivers cope with their daily caregiving challenges. We realize the most important thing that a caregiver needs is financial assistance. Therefore, we provide grants to caregivers to ease their financial burden. Caregivers can apply for grants here: Alzheimer’s Grant Application.
You can also help caregivers in their endeavor by donating as much as possible: Donation To Alzheimer’s Research Associations.
References
- 7 ways to support a person with dementia in cold weather. Alzheimer’s Society. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/how-support-somebody-living-dementia-cold-weather . Updated Online: November, 2024. Accessed: 31st January, 2025.
- Looking after a person with dementia in cold weather. Dementa UK. https://www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/health-advice/keeping-warm-in-cold-weather/. Accessed: 31st January, 2025.
- Seven tips to help people with dementia during a cold snap. Medical Xpress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-people-dementia-cold-snap.html. Published Online: 6th January, 2025. Accessed: 31st January, 2025.
