Has your loved one been struggling with dressing appropriately for the weather and the season? As seasons begin to change from winter to spring to summer, it can get especially confusing for just about anyone to know exactly what to wear to be prepared for the elements.
While occasionally forgetting to bring an umbrella or gloves is normal, if your loved one is consistently leaving her home without the proper clothing and accessories for the weather, you can take some preventative steps that will help her pick out appropriate clothes and not show up somewhere without the right clothes and shoes on.
Put Away Clothes for Other Seasons
One of the simplest ways to make sure your loved one wears boots in the winter and sandals in the summer is to set aside time each season to put away clothes that are no longer needed and take out those that are more appropriate. Your home care assistance team can be a great resource to help your loved one pack up seasonal clothes that are no longer needed and replace them with the ones that are more appropriate for the season.
Home Care Assistance
When possible, have someone like a home care assistance provider help your loved one pick out her clothes for the day or lay them out the night before. If your home care assistance provider knows your loved one is going out in the evening to meet with friends, they can even put out the clothes she needs that night so she can easily put on what’s appropriate.
Smart Home Speaker
Get your loved one a virtual smart home speaker or assistant like Alexa or Google Home. With these smart speakers, your loved one simply needs to ask “Hey Alexa” or “Hey Google” “What’s the weather like outside” before she heads out to learn if it’s going to rain, if it’s hot outside, or if it’s cool. This can be a great reminder to grab that umbrella or a hat if the smart speaker informs her that the weather is going to be inclement.
Keep Extra Clothes in the Car
If your loved one is still driving her own vehicle, or if she is consistently picked up by someone – like you or another family member, you might find it helpful to keep extra clothes in the vehicle to use in case she forgets something. During the winter months, keeping an extra pair of mittens, a hat, and a scarf can keep her warm if she forgets them. In the summer, having an extra umbrella on hand or a sun hat might help her be more prepared for the elements.
Most of the time, being dressed inappropriately is just a nuisance and might make your loved one uncomfortable, but dressing much too warm in hot weather or dressing without proper protection in cold weather can also be dangerous. Doing a little pre-work before your loved one heads out each day, can prevent most of those slips and make sure your loved one is ready to face whatever weather comes her way.
If you or a loved one are looking for experienced Home Care Assistance in Fairfax, VAComEnsure contact SenCura at 703-880-2547. Providing in-home senior care in Northern Virginia.