Essential Winter Safety Tips for Seniors

Winter is a time to curl up with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate or tea, ideally watching the snow fall. Despite the season’s beauty, there are unique safety concerns when the weather grows cold, especially for older adults. Here are some of the top winter safety tips for the elderly, as well as a few ideas on how to stay healthy and happy this winter.

Key takeaways

• Winter comes with unique health risks, such as falling on ice, hypothermia, and frostbite.

• It’s essential to prevent these health risks, as well as to prepare for winter storms or times when the roads may not be clear, making it difficult to leave your home. 

• Ahead are some of the best emergency preparedness tips, as well as strategies to make the most of the colder months. 

1. Prevent slips and falls on ice

Falls are a leading cause of unintentional injuries in winter, and those over 65 are more likely to be hospitalized if they slip on ice. You can reduce this risk by walking on shoveled sidewalks, using handrails when possible, and wearing non-skid footwear designed for the cold. It’s also recommended that older adults don’t shovel since this increases the risk of slipping. 

In general, avoid snow-covered pathways when possible. Falls are three times as likely when there’s snow on the ground, possibly because it covers the ice and makes it difficult to determine how slippery the ground is.  

2. Recognize signs of frostbite and hypothermia

Hypothermia and frostbite both stem from prolonged exposure to the cold. With frostbite, exposed skin is injured, often leading to a loss of feeling and color in affected areas. Hypothermia is when the body’s core temperature drops below 95°F.

Both are difficult to spot because hypothermia makes it difficult to think clearly. Meanwhile, body parts affected by frostbite become numb as the condition progresses. Luckily, there are some signs to look out for. 

For hypothermia those signs are:

• Cold hands and/or feet

• Swollen face

• Skin that’s suddenly more male

• Shaking 

• Shivering

• Speech that is slurred or slower than usual

• Anger

• Confusion

• Sleepiness

For frostbite, the signs are concentrated in affected areas and include:

• Redness

• Sensation of pins and needles or pain (in the short term)

• Numbness (as frostbite progresses)

• Unusually firm or waxy skin

3. Manage medications and health conditions

Thanks to a mix of seasonal affective disorder (aka the winter blues), the hustle around the holidays, and winter weather disrupting schedules, it can be hard to remember to take medications and manage health conditions during the winter. In one small scale study, people used topical medications less during the winter months, particularly around the holidays.

But medications and other steps to manage your health are essential, no matter the time of the year. To remind yourself to continue with prescribed medications and any other essential health habits, write out reminders in a physical calendar or on your phone. You can ask a friend or family member to help you remember and leave medications out as a visible reminder.

With the last tip, however, you always want to store medications in environments that aren’t too cold or hot. Exposing medication to winter weather may make it less effective. 

4. Maintain physical activity indoors

During the winter, it can be hard to exercise outside. Yet the CDC’s activity guidelines don’t decrease from the recommended minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, biking, swimming, etc.) and two strength training sessions a week. 

To meet these guidelines while staying warm, shift any outdoor exercises to indoor spaces. This could mean joining a gym, walking around a mall instead of outdoors, or exploring fitness classes offered by a community center. 

5. Prepare your home for winter weather

Almost 20% of cold exposure injuries happen indoors. To avoid this, prepare your home for winter weather:

• Set the heat to 68°F or above.

• Place rolled towels in front of doors. This stops drafty winter air from entering.

• Close blinds and curtains.

• Caulk any openings in windows or apply weather strips.

• Dress warm on cold days, even when inside. This includes wearing socks and slippers.

• Use extra covers when sleeping.

If you live in an area susceptible to winter storms, make a plan with a loved one or family member to check in with one another. This could be as simple as calling or sending texts when hazardous winter weather hits.

6. Maintain proper nutrition

Metabolism doesn’t just turn food into energy; it also helps regulate body temperature. As such, it’s important to eat enough in the winter (and all year round). Ideally, those calories should be from healthy foods like fruits, veggies, lean protein, and healthy carbs like quinoa and oats. 

7. Create an emergency preparedness plan

Winter weather can strike at any time, which is why it’s important to be prepared. Ideally, create an emergency kit for your home and car, if you have one. Both should include:

• Flashlights

• Blankets

• Warm clothing

• Bottled water

• Non-perishable snacks, like crackers, dried fruit, or protein bars

An emergency kit for the car may also include jumper cables.

During the colder months, you also want to watch the weather, looking out for various weather advisories:

• Winter storm warning: When heavy snow, sleet, or freezing rain is likely in the next 12-24 hours.

• Winter storm watch: When there may be a blizzard in the next 12-48 hours.

• Winter weather advisory: When there’s a dangerous, but not life-threatening accumulation of snow, freezing rain, or sleet.

8. Practice safe driving

If you do drive during winter, keep a full tank of gas and pay attention to the roads, even if they appear safe. If there’s a winter storm, stay off the roads. It’s also best to avoid traveling before plows have removed snow, since snow on roads makes driving more treacherous.

For those who live in colder states, like Minnesota and Wisconsin, there is a chance that you’ll drive on ice. The government of Minnesota has clear guidelines on what thickness is ok to drive and walk on, as well as what to do if the ice breaks.

9. Prevent carbon monoxide exposure

Carbon monoxide kills about 1,000 Americans each year, and this poisonous gas can leak from certain generators and heaters. As such, it’s recommended to:

• Never run generators indoors.

• Open the window if using a kerosene heater. Follow other safety instructions from the manufacturer. 

• Don’t use a gas oven to heat your home.

Since carbon monoxide is a silent killer, it’s hard for our bodies to sense this gas until it’s too late. A carbon dioxide detector, however, can detect this gas in time. The Environmental Protection Agency offers guidelines on how to do so and to check if the detector works. 

10. Stay socially connected during winter months

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects about 3% of people. This condition is marked by feelings of depression or sadness during the winter months. Even if you don’t have a formal SAD diagnosis, it’s normal to feel a bit blue or isolated during winter. 

To combat this, stay connected with loved ones, whether that looks like weekly video calls, meeting up when the roads are clear, or texting back and forth. 

Bottom line  

While the snow can be lovely, keep winter weather safety tips in mind. Alongside being prepared for winter weather emergencies, it’s also important to stay healthy. Move exercise indoors, maintain a balanced diet, and stay socially connected in order to make the most of the winter months.

Sources

Tarcea, A., Vergouwen, M., Sayre, E. C., & White, N. J. (2024). The slip and fall index: Assessing the risk of slipping and falling on ice. Canadian journal of public health, 115 (2), 296–304. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-024-00855-z

National Institute on Aging. (2024). Cold weather safety for older adults. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/safety/cold-weather-safety-older-adults 

Hippi, M., & Kangas, M. (2022). Impact of weather on pedestrians' slip risk. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19 (5), 3007. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19053007 

National Institute on Aging. (2024).  Tips for older adults to stay safe in colder weather. https://order.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/cold-weather-safety-tip-sheet.pdf 

Kontzias, C., Patel, H., Prajapati, S., Chandy, R., Subramanian, V. M., Sirdeshmukh, D., & Feldman, S. R. (2023). Holiday holidays: A reduction in topical medication adherence during the winter holidays. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 89 (5), 1061–1063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2023.06.050 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Medication safety tips for older adults. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-medication-safety-tips-older-adults 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Adult activity. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html

Columbia University Health. (2020). Does eating fat keep the body warm in winter? https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/does-eating-fat-keep-body-warm-winter 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2025). Winter weather. https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather 

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Traveling on ice. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/travel.html 

National Weather Service. (n.d.). Cold weather safety tips. https://www.weather.gov/media/aly/PSAs/ExtremeCold.pdf 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2025). Where should I place a carbon monoxide detector? https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/where-should-i-place-carbon-monoxide-detector 

National Library of Medicine. (2019). Seasonal affective disorder. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/seasonal-affective-disorder