Removing snow, especially shoveling is dangerous for all ages. With that being said, people over 55 years of age are at high risk of a heart attack. It's best to avoid shoveling snow by yourself and the elders.
Why Shoveling or Cleaning Snow by Older People Can Be Dangerous?
- Shoveling requires exertion that involves the hands. A shovel of snow can weigh 15 pounds on average. So, lifting this weight repeatedly and moving to another side is a hazard for older people.
- Older people are mostly sufferingfrom blood pressure, so hard work like shoveling snow can be dangerous. Heavy lifting can cause cardiovascular issues.
- Ice and snow can be slippery. Older people mostly has muscle weakness and poor balance. So there will be a risk of falling.
- Frostbite is another big risk for older people as they have poor blood circulation and diabetes.
- Older people have a low immune system,and for that, they are exposed to winter flu.
- People getting old are unable to maintain normal body temperature. That can cause Hypothermia while going out to remove snow.
Mostly the children and the young men and women happily step up to take charge of cleaning snow from the driveway or yard so that older members of the family don't have to do that. But what if your aging parents who live far from you and you can not take care of the snow in winter? Here we find a few ways to get rid of the snow for your parents.
Method 1. Volunteer Programs from Various Youth Groups
Various volunteer groups in local areas offer special assistance to senior citizens and disabled residents who are unable to clean snow by themselves. You can research local charities and church groups that are offering volunteering services aiming to help older people.
Programs like cleaning snow for senior citizens are common in any snow-affected city.
Method 2. Seek for Help from Local Government
The local government frequently organizes special programs targeted at senior citizens and helps them. They often provide senior citizens with the opportunity of free snow removal services. Searching city government's websites, you can find a list of ways to know about programs or volunteers who are engaged in helping seniors.
Method 3: Hire a Snow Removal Contractor
There are professionals available who are trained to remove snow from driveways or yards. Snow removal service has prices and estimates for different residential areas and you can check it out on their website.
If you are thinking about hiring a snow removal contractor, be cautious because there is a high chance that you may fall into scams that take advantage of the elderly. When an able-bodied person isn't around, the contractors may work less and demand to pay a lot from the elderly. Even sometimes they do not show up and ask for payment upfront to prepare for winter. So, before hiring a contractor for your snow removal work, check thoroughly about the professionals and the reviews about them.
Method 4. Snow Melting Mats
If you think the ways mentioned above are risky or not trustworthy, you can think about getting snow-melting mats. Snow melting mats are usually slip-proof and can be set out for the whole winter season. You or someone voluntarily can set up the snow-melting mat for your parents or the elderly of your family.
Method 5. Using Snow Blower Robot
If you are searching for a proper, safe, and eco-friendly solution for your parents, snow bower robot Snowbot is the perfect machine for you. It is the first snow blower robot in the market that can be controlled by mobile phone and joystick.
Currently, available Snowbot has an autonomous navigation system which enables automatic path planning. That means the robot can automatically set the cleaning path and start working accordingly. Setting the positioning beacons is all you need to set to let the robot know the cleaning area.
Snowbot S1 Pro which is estimated coming next winter (winter 2022) can recharge itself when it is run out of battery. That means, Snowbot will go back to its docking station to recharge itself. Older people can also use the joystick controller to drive the robot as needed. The dedicated team behind developing the robot is committed to making the snow removal simple, safe, and satisfying.
Final Words
You must be worried about your aging family member who lives far from you especially in winter, and the snow that can be dangerous sometimes.
You can choose whatever way fits you for your parents. Above mentioned ways can all be set in motion but Snowbot is the intelligent solution for your snow removal work. Getting a Snowbot means ensuring your parents face less risk when the snow starts to fall.