Good Health Starts at Home

Winter brings extra pressures for all of us - at home, work, online and with loved ones. The colder weather, seasonal illnesses & demands of daily life can take a toll on our physical & mental wellbeing.

But small, simple actions can make a big difference...

Take a look at resources from NHS England below to help protect yourself and others this winter:

Good Health Starts: At Home

Stay warm:

If you can, make sure your home stays at a temperature of around 18°C. This can help prevent serious health problems including heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression. The cold and damp weather, ice, snow and high winds can worsen any existing health problems, increase the risk of a fall, and make us more vulnerable to respiratory winter illnesses.

  • If you are going outside, make sure you wear shoes with good grip and a scarf around the mouth to protect you from the cold air, and to reduce their risk of chest infections. wear thin layers of cotton, wool or fleecy fibres to keep you warm.
  • To minimise the risks to your health, if you're not moving about as much at home and inactive for long periods wear warm clothing indoors.
  • If possible, try to keep your living room warm throughout the day and heat your bedroom before going to bed.
  • Keep your bedroom windows closed at night - breathing in cold air can increase the risk of chest infections.

Keeping warm is key during the winter months but we want you to stay safe too. Here are some top safety tips when it comes to some ways of heating your home:

  • If you use an electric blanket always check it regularly for signs of wear or damage. Never use an electric blanket and a hot water bottle at the same time. If you're in any doubt about your blanket, contact the manufacturer before you use it to make sure that it is safe. It may need to be replaced.
  • Only use (portable) heaters that are in good working order and keep them a safe distance from combustible materials such as furniture - do not use them for drying clothes. Switch them off if left unattended. Supervise children and pets around them to prevent burns and other injuries.
  • Candles should be secured in proper holders, away from materials that can catch fire. Never leave lit candles unattended.
  • Rooms with gas heaters and fires should be well ventilated. Appliances should be maintained regularly. Consider having a carbon monoxide alarm installed too.
  • Make sure you have working smoke detectors fitted on each floor of your home.
  • Use fire guards to prevent embers igniting nearby combustibles. Keep the chimney swept regularly and don’t sit or stand too close.
  • Wheat bags - Check the manufacturer’s instructions and your microwave settings carefully as wheat bags can easily overheat.

 

Prevent and Reduce Damp and Mould:

The Healthy Homes Service here at Care Network offers adults and families in Blackburn with Darwen expert knowledge, advice and support to help them to achieve a warm, damp free and energy-efficient home.

Damp and mould affect over 20% of homes in Blackburn with Darwen during the winter period. The respiratory effects of damp and mould can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death. It primarily affects the airways and lungs, but can also affect the eyes, skin and impact on a person’s mental health.

Access our Resources:

 Practical Tips on Preventing, Reducing and Treating Damp and Mould:

  • Try to dry washing outside or in a tumble dryer (externally vented), rather than on radiators.
  • Keep lids on pans when cooking.
  • When running a bath, run the cold water first. This will reduce steam by around 90%.
  • Ventilation is key! When cooking or bathing, keep the room doors closed and open a window for 10 minutes or so afterwards.
  • Don’t use gas appliances to heat your home – these produce lots of moisture.
  • Do not block trickle vents.
  • Open a couple of windows when you wake up. Open one slightly downstairs and another slightly upstairs, ideally on the opposite side of the house.
  • Your heating system will actually work more efficiently if it is warming up cooler, dryer air. Warming up the warm, moist air will take longer and cost more.
  • Try to keep your home at a steady temperature, rather than having no heating on while you are out during the day and then heating it up quickly when you get home. Heating just one or two rooms will cause worse condensation in the rooms left unheated.
  • Remove excess mould with a damp cloth. Do not brush or use a vacuum cleaner as this will spread the spores.
  • Use a mould remover, diluted bleach or a saline solution to remove the rest. Follow the instructions and use gloves and safety glasses.

Find out more on how 'Good Healt'h can start at home through making your environment safer, checking in on loved ones or seeking the support of services to all help prevent future illness or accidents, please visit: Good Health Starts


We'll be sharing more tips to help support you in our winter newsletters, so keep an eye on your inbox. If you're not yet subscribed, you can sign up by clicking the button below: 

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