Public health 

Your health / Keep Warm Keep Well

 

Keep warm, keep well

 

Keeping warm and well is important for your health.

 

With rising fuel prices and increasingly colder winters, more and more people are struggling to pay their fuel bills and stay warm in winter. 

 

A cold, damp home can be harmful to a person's health particularly if they have:

  • respiratory problems, such as asthma and chronic obstuctive pulminory  disease (COPD)
  • heart problems
  • mobility problems
  • mental and social health problems

It is recommended that your house is kept at a temperature of 21°c in the living room and 18°c in other occupied rooms.

 

A few simple tips can help people through the winter months. For further information you can contact the Keep Warm team by email: keepwarmkeepwell@bolton.nhs.uk 

 

Ways to warmth

 

In the home

 

Keeping warm and well in the home is important for your health.

 

  • The World Health Organisation recommends that the temperature in the living room is kept at 21°c and that the temperature in all other rooms is 18°c, especially if any member of the household has one of the conditions mentioned above.
  • Be energy-wise: don’t leave appliances on stand by and unplug mobile phone chargers that are not being used to save energy and money.
  • If you use a pre-pay meter try to top it up with the same amount all year round that way you can spread the extra cost of the winter months throughout the year and avoid disconnection.

Out and about

 

It is vital that you, regardless of your age, dress appropriately for the winter months. Keeping warm and well outdoors is just as important as keeping warm and well indoors.

 

You can help keep warm by:

 

  • wearing plenty of thin layers, rather than one thick layer
  • putting on a coat, hat, scarf, gloves and warm shoes or boots when you go outside
  • wearing clothes made of wool, cotton or fleecy synthetic fibres

Think of others

 

The winter months can be a difficult time for all of us especially in extreme icy conditions or snow. These times can be particularly problematic for the vulnerable especially the elderly as it may lead to isolation in their own homes or risk of injury if they venture out into severe conditions

 

At these times keep an eye out for vulnerable neighbours especially the elderly, if you are nipping to the shops see if they need you to pick up any essentials, such as milk and bread.

 

Eat well

 

A healthy diet is important at all times and many people may face dilemma the winter months whether or not to ‘heat or eat’.

 

There are plenty of cheap and easy to make, healthy recipes around.

 

Remember that you can stock up on frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables to help you when the weather is particularly bad and you cannot get to the shops

 

Maximise your income

 

Most of us can change our behaviour a little to make our homes more energy efficient and try our best to buy food and other essentials at the cheapest prices, but sometimes this may not be enough.

 

If you are struggling with your finances it may be useful to check whether you are able to claim any benefits, it is always worth a try as some benefits do not take your income into account, such as single persons council tax discount. 

 

You may be eligible for grants that you are unaware of, in Bolton we have many grants that may not be available in other areas and grants that can be applied for regardless of household income.

 

To see if you are eligible for any of our grants or for further details contact Bolton Care and Repair on  01204 335679 or careandrepair@boltonathome.org.uk

 

Toasty Bolton

 

Toasty Bolton is a joint campaign with NHS Bolton, Bolton Council, and the Greater Manchester Energy Saving Trust.

 

The campaign offers free loft and free cavity wall insulation (subject to survey) to all private owed and privately rented houses in the Bolton area.

 

Call for your free survey today on 0800 512 012.

mARCH 2010 doll house