It’s winter-time once again, and a harsh winter at that, so we want to take this space once again to remind our readers that snowstorms and blizzards are not just a day to sit back and relax and enjoy some quiet time at home. For some of our elderly, or ill, neighbors a storm can turn into a frightening experience. The loss of power or heat, the idea of being “snowed in” might not be the end of the world to most of us, but to someone sick or someone elderly and frail, this can be a nightmare. We can, and we should, help.
All of this winter’s snowstorm, from blizzard conditions to “just a couple of inches” should be a wake-up call for everyone. We were pretty consistently hit with several snowy and icy days so far this season. And, if the Farmer’s Almanac is correct, we can expect quite a few more harsh, bitter cold days; winter is hardly over. And maybe, just maybe, someone might really need your help.
Heavy snows or ice or just plain cold weather could very well keep a senior citizen housebound. A driveway or path might need to be cleared. Errands might need to be taken care of and it is easy to run low on food and essentials. A sudden storm might find one out of a vital medication. During a really severe storm an electric outage could put an elderly person, without heat, perhaps without a telephone, in real danger. A phone call, a knock on the door, and some real help might make all the difference for someone, particularly someone living alone.
If you have elderly friends or neighbors be sure to check in on them, especially when stormy weather knocks at your door!
— Wendy Karpel Kreitzman
