Winter is Coming: Are You Worried About an Older Loved One Living Alone in Cumbria?

Download the Winter Wellbeing Check List!

As autumn arrives in Cumbria and the evenings begin to draw in, many families start asking themselves the same question:

Is Mum, Dad or someone I care about really managing on their own?

During the warmer months, small difficulties can be easy to overlook. Someone may still get out to the shops, spend time in the garden, see neighbours regularly and manage most everyday tasks without too much difficulty.

Winter can change things surprisingly quickly.

Dark evenings, colder weather, icy paths and fewer opportunities to get out can make living alone more difficult. A person who appeared to be coping perfectly well during the summer may become increasingly isolated or begin struggling with everyday things such as shopping, preparing meals or keeping on top of medication.

For families who don’t live nearby, the worry can be even greater.

The good news is that needing a little help doesn’t necessarily mean giving up independence or leaving home. Often, recognising the early signs and putting some modest support in place can help an older person continue living safely and happily in the home they love.

The signs can be surprisingly small

There isn’t usually one dramatic moment when a family suddenly realises that an older relative needs help.

More often, it is a collection of little things.

Perhaps the fridge isn’t as well stocked as it used to be. There are unopened letters on the table. Mum seems to be wearing the same clothes whenever you visit. Dad isn’t going out as frequently.

Perhaps they seem less interested in cooking, have lost a little weight or aren’t taking their medication as reliably as before.

None of these things necessarily means that someone can no longer live independently. But together they can indicate that everyday life is becoming more difficult.

And winter can magnify those difficulties.

Try our 10-Minute Winter Wellbeing Check

Next time you visit an older relative, friend or neighbour, take ten minutes to look beyond the usual “Are you all right?”

Most of us automatically answer that question with “I’m fine.”

Instead, consider these ten questions:

1. Is the home comfortably warm?
   Are the main rooms being heated properly, or are they avoiding using the heating?
2. Are they eating properly?
   Look at the fridge and cupboards. Are there fresh foods and proper meals available?
3. Are they drinking enough?
   Dehydration isn’t only a summer issue. Older people can sometimes drink too little during colder months.
4. Are they managing their medication?
   Are prescriptions being collected and medicines being taken as intended?
5. Are they moving around the home safely?
   Have there been falls or near misses? Are stairs, rugs, poor lighting or clutter becoming a problem?
6. Are they managing personal routines?
   Are washing, dressing and other normal daily activities becoming noticeably harder?
7. Are household jobs beginning to build up?
   Unwashed dishes, laundry, unopened post or an unusually untidy home can sometimes indicate that someone is struggling.
8. Are they still getting out?
   Has colder weather meant that regular trips to the shops, clubs, friends or other activities have stopped?
9. Are they becoming lonely?
   Someone can be physically safe at home but still spend long periods without meaningful human contact.
10. What would happen if the weather suddenly became much worse?
    If snow, ice or illness prevented them from going out for several days, would there be food, medication and somebody checking that they were all right?

You don’t need ten worrying answers before taking action.

Sometimes one or two small changes are worth noticing.

Loneliness can be one of winter’s hidden problems

When we think about keeping an older person safe during winter, we naturally think about heating, falls, food and medication.

But companionship matters too.

Shorter days and poorer weather can mean fewer visitors and fewer opportunities to leave the house. Someone who was previously seeing people several times a week can gradually find themselves spending much more time alone.

This can be particularly difficult after losing a husband, wife or close friend.

A regular visit, a trip to a Day Centre, lunch with other people or simply having someone to talk to can make a considerable difference to the rhythm of someone’s week.

It is worth asking not simply:

“Is Mum managing?”

but also:

“Is Mum enjoying her life?”

Those are two very different questions.

What if you don’t live nearby?

This is a particular concern for many families.

You may speak to your parent every day, but a telephone conversation doesn’t necessarily tell you whether the fridge is empty, the house is cold or they haven’t been outside for four days.

If you live elsewhere in the UK — or overseas — winter can create an additional layer of anxiety.

This is where having reliable people locally becomes especially valuable.

That could be another family member, a trusted neighbour, a community organisation or professional Home Care support.

The objective isn’t to take control away from someone. It is to create a local support network so that they can continue to live independently with greater confidence.

A little help may be enough

One of the misconceptions about Home Care is that someone must have substantial care needs before considering it.

That isn’t necessarily the case.

For some people, a relatively short regular visit can make everyday life considerably easier.

It might involve help preparing a meal, getting ready for the day, remembering medication, completing small everyday tasks or simply providing some companionship and reassurance.

Most importantly, the right support should be based around what the individual actually needs.

For one person that may mean occasional support.

For another, it may mean daily visits.

And for someone with substantially greater needs, it may eventually mean considering Live-In Care.

When is it time to consider more support?

There is no single answer.

However, it may be worth having a conversation if you notice several changes occurring together — particularly if they are becoming progressively worse.

The important thing is not to wait for a crisis simply because the person you care about is reluctant to ask for help.

Introducing a small amount of assistance early can sometimes be much easier than trying to organise everything following a fall, illness or emergency hospital admission.

And accepting help does not have to mean losing independence.

In many circumstances, the purpose of care at home is precisely the opposite: to help preserve it.

What if visiting care is no longer enough?

Sometimes a family reaches a different point.

Mum or Dad may still desperately want to remain at home, but a few visits each week — or even several visits each day — no longer provide enough reassurance.

At that stage, families often assume that a residential care home is the inevitable next step.

It isn’t the only possibility.

Live-In Care can allow someone to remain in their own familiar surroundings while having a carer living in the home and providing substantially greater continuity and support.

There are important practical, financial and care considerations involved, and Live-In Care will not be the right answer for everyone.

But it is an option worth understanding before making a major decision about leaving home.

Not sure what level of help is needed?

This is often the hardest question of all.

Families don’t necessarily know the terminology. They simply know that something has changed and they are worried.

That is one reason Good Companions developed the Care Compass.

It is designed to help families think through their circumstances and understand what type of support may be appropriate, rather than expecting them to know the answer before asking for help.

Try Home Care free for five days

If you think someone you care about could benefit from a little help but you’re uncertain about committing to Home Care, Good Companions currently offers qualifying new customers the opportunity to try Home Care free for five days.

That’s:

1 hour a day × 5 days = 5 hours free

There is no obligation to continue after the five days.

It gives the person receiving the care — and their family — an opportunity to experience what having some regular support at home is actually like.

The offer is subject to a free assessment, suitability, availability and terms and conditions. Additional care is chargeable.

For those who need 24-hour support

For families who have reached the point where visiting care may no longer be enough, Good Companions also offers its Pay the Carer Direct Live-In Care arrangement.

Live-In Carer pay starts from £120 per day — £840 per week, paid directly to the self-employed carer.

For qualifying new arrangements, Good Companions is currently waiving its normal agency/admin fee for the first six months, potentially saving up to £6,000 in fees.

A daily Good Companions Home Care visit is required to provide the Live-In Carer’s agreed break and is charged separately. The Pay the Carer Direct arrangement is separate from Good Companions’ regulated Home Care service. Assessment, suitability, availability and full terms and conditions apply.

Don’t wait for winter to become a crisis

If there is one message we would like Cumbria families to take from this guide, it is a simple one:

You don’t have to wait until something goes wrong before talking about help.

Take ten minutes the next time you visit someone you care about.

Look around. Have a cup of tea. Ask a few questions. Listen to the answers.

They may be managing perfectly well.

But if you notice that some of the little things are beginning to change, this could be the right time to start a conversation.

Sometimes a little support is all that’s required.

And sometimes that little bit of support can help someone remain safely and happily in the home they love for much longer.

Good Companions — Caring for Cumbria for over 25 years.

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