Best Wishes and Keep Warm …

31/01/2006

That’s the seasonal message in a greetings card which will be dropping through the letter boxes of older people across Gloucestershire over the next few weeks. The Gloucestershire Affordable Warmth Partnership wants to remind older people about how to stay well during colder weather. As temperatures drop many people become more at risk from the effect of cold and damp homes. Everyone who lives in these conditions is at risk, but particularly vulnerable are older people and those with long term illnesses.

During the winter months from December to March the rates of cold related deaths increase two fold across the country. Many of these could be prevented with some straightforward home improvements.

Di Billingham, the NHS’s Local Strategic Partnership Manager, explained:

“The idea of the greetings card is to draw attention to the need to be prepared for cold weather. There are a range of actions that people can take to help them to stay cosy and warm, some as simple as making sure they have regular hot drinks. We hope that sending out the greetings card now during a cold spell this year will make people take notice. The card gives people advice about quick things they can do and also, we hope, will make people plan ahead for next year and think about what they might need to do to keep warm and well in the future. ”

Di Billingham, outlined the key messages on the card:

“The card includes simple advice such as wearing several thin layers of clothing to keep warm and knowing how to use your heating controls, in addition to useful phone numbers for advice on paying bills, maintenance services for older people and how to get home improvement grants. One of the Affordable Warmth Partnerships aims is to encourage energy efficiency with measures such as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and more efficient heating systems. There are grants available for all these home improvements.”