Newswise — Winter is a special time for caution if you or someone in your family is an older adult. It is the season for falls, slips on icy streets, and other dangers that are especially great for senior citizens. "Something as simple as a fall can be devastating for older men and women," says Dr. Evelyn Granieri, director of the Division of Geriatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/The Allen Pavillion. "Before the cold weather arrives, it is important to prepare." Dr. Granieri offers the following tips for a healthy and safe winter:

* Get a flu shot. The flu is a serious illness that can be fatal in young children, older adults, and people with chronic medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. The vaccine offers some, if not complete, protection against the flu and can be administered as early as September. The flu season begins in mid-October and runs through March.

* Wear appropriate footwear. Comfortable shoes with anti-slip soles will help you navigate through icy streets. If you use a cane, replace the rubber tip before it is worn smooth and becomes slippery on the wet ice.

* Check your smoke alarms. Make sure your smoke alarms are working. If you live in a house rather than an apartment, you should also have carbon-monoxide alarms.

* Maintain a comfortable room temperature. Keep your thermostat set to at least 65 degrees to prevent hypothermia. Also, when the temperature remains at 65, even when you are not at home, you can help to prevent freezing pipes by maintaining a high enough temperature within your walls.

* Check the lighting in your home. Make sure there are no great contrasts from one room to another, because older people have difficulty adjusting to changes in light and high contrasts increase the risk of slip and falls. Also, use night lights, and don't have loose extension cords lying around — tape them to the floor.

* Take your exercise regimen indoors for the winter and try to avoid strenuous activities like shoveling snow. If you must use a shovel this winter, warm-up your body with a few stretching exercises before you begin and be sure to take frequent breaks throughout.

* Check your rugs. Make sure they are not wrinkled or torn in a way that can trip you up as you walk. Use padding or special tape underneath them to prevent from sliding.

* Maintain your diet and a good level of hydration. Drink at least four or five glasses of fluid every day. This should not change just because it is winter.

* Keep your skin hydrated. Wear more protective creams and lotions to prevent the dry and itchy skin commonly experienced in the colder months when humidity levels are lower.

* Get a programmable phone with emergency numbers entered. Another good idea for older persons living alone is a personal emergency response system — a device worn around the neck or on a bracelet, which can summon help if needed. Wear this device all the time, and use it.

NewYork-Presbyterian HospitalNewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,242 beds. The Hospital has nearly 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a year, including more than 230,000 visits to its emergency departments — more than any other area hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Allen Pavilion and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the largest and most comprehensive health-care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. It ranks sixth in U.S.News & World Report's guide to "America's Best Hospitals," ranks first on New York magazine's "Best Hospitals" survey, has the greatest number of physicians listed in New York magazine's "Best Doctors" issue, and is included among Solucient's top 15 major teaching hospitals. The Hospital's mortality rates are among the lowest for heart attack and heart failure in the country, according to a 2007 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report card. The Hospital has academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. For more information, visit http://www.nyp.org.

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