Home Carer Safety In Cold Weather
As we head into the colder months of the year, preparation is key to maintain home carer safety whilst travelling between clients. Follow our advice below to ensure you can get out and about safely, no matter how cold, wet or icy it is outside!
Dress Warmly – Wear Layers
Layer up! It’s much easier to take layers off and put them back on again when needed than it is to warm up without sufficient clothing! You will also be moving from inside warm houses and your car, out into the cold outdoors, so you may want to ensure you have a hat, scarf and gloves too. On this note, make sure to wear comfortable, sensible shoes that offer you good grip when walking over potentially icy outdoor areas.
Keep Your Mobile Charged
A fully charged mobile phone is a MUST at any time, but even more so when travelling in icy, possibly poor visibility weather conditions. A good idea is to invest in a car charger so that you always have the opportunity to give your phone charge a boost if you need to. Being able to contact help or your agency is imperative for home carer safety.
Pack in Supplies
Travel problems can occur at any time and place whilst on your care route, so we suggest carrying a snack and water supply in your vehicle as you never know how far away help could be (It is a good idea at any time of year to carry water with you on your route to ensure that you remain hydrated)
Even better, you could pack in a hot tea or coffee flask to keep yourself warm whilst on your route too! Just to be extra vigilant, you may want to carry a warm blanket and a torch in your car in case of any unforeseen breakdown emergencies!
Ensure Your Car is Serviced Up to Date
Even if your MOT is up to date, it’s worth ensuring your car has been serviced before cold weather really sits in – especially as this is a crucial element to your job. At the same time, have your tyre tread checked and tyres replaced if necessary to ensure you are able to travel as safely as possible in icy conditions.
Carry an Ice-Scraper or De-Icer Spray
Driving visibility is absolutely essential and before you set off on your first visit, and whilst travelling from client to client, you must ensure at all times that your windows are clear. Carrying an ice scraper or de-icer spray will save you precious time and ensure you are able to clear icy windows quickly without being late for your client visits.
Are you interested in a job in home care? Find out more about working in home care and the opportunities that we have available in and around Epsom at AM2PM Quality Care.