Devon County Council

Clearly, keeping warm in the winter is essential to prevent hypothermia. There are various organisations who can offer advice and support.

A Winter Fuel Payment is a one-off payment to help older people with their winter heating bills. Further information on 'The Warm Front Team' is available on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) web site.  

There are some government grants available for home improvements from government funded organisations such as Eaga and the Devon Energy Efficiency Advice Centre. They can assist individuals with grants to fund insulation and heating improvements, and enable home owners on low incomes to become more energy efficient.

Age Concern has produced some really useful information to help people to stay safe, warm and well in the winter. It includes money-saving tips and further advice and information on benefits and grants. See also Energywatch.

The Department of Health Keep Warm Keep Well Guide gives advice on what to if you feel ill, and why it's important to keep warm.   

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is a lowered deep-core body temperature of 35C/95F or below. It is the lowered temperature of the organs inside the body which is important - an ordinary thermometer cannot measure this. You may not actually feel cold but if you sit in a cold room and do little or nothing to keep warm then you may run the risk of becoming hypothermic or becoming ill with bronchitis or pneumonia. Both are cold-related illnesses.

Watch out for the danger signs!

• Drowsiness
• Very cold skin on parts of the body normally covered, for example the stomach or armpits
• Slurred speech
• Absence of complaint about feeling cold, even in a bitterly cold room.

If you have concerns that an older person may be suffering from hypothermia:

• move the person into warmer surroundings if possible
• wrap the person in a light layer of blankets or a duvet to avoid further loss of body heat, give them warm, nourishing drinks
• call the doctor or nurse
• do not subject the person to any sudden extreme change of temperature - so do not put them next to a fire or give them hot water bottles or heavy layers of clothes or blankets
• do not give them alcohol, as it will stimulate further heat loss through the skin.