For loved ones living with dementia, the winter months can often create new challenges to their health and safety. From colder temperatures to extreme weather, caregivers need to pay special attention to seasonal issues that may threaten their loved one’s well-being.
Rob Low, Community Relations Director at Clarity Pointe™ Pensacola, a memory care community in Pensacola, Florida, shares advice for families traveling during the winter and those living in the northern parts of the country. “Environmental changes that occur during the winter tend to exaggerate many of the symptoms already present with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias,” says Low. “Behavior problems that occur at night or the dangers of wandering are more severe as the days grow colder and darker. Loved ones with dementia also spend more time indoors, which can decrease their physical activities and affect energy levels.