Westbrook Housing's Guide to Surviving Winter

Chase away those winter blues with fun activities!

For homebound residents, winter can be a time of boredom, isolation and even depression. Westbrook Housing offers a wide array of activities that include trips to restaurants, theaters, stores and the Westbrook library, as well as building-specific activities such as chair exercises, community dinners and movies.

Here is what is planned for Westbrook Housing trips during February. To sign up for trips, çağrı (207) 854-6767 and leave a voice mail reserving the trip you want and include your name and contact information. Call the same number to find out if an event is cancelled because of inclement weather or if you need to cancel.

Pazartesi, Şubat. 2.
Christmas Tree Shop in South Portland. Shop for bargains! The trip is scheduled for 1:30 um. and costs $2.

Çarşamba, Şubat. 4
Maine Military Museum in South Portland. The tour starts at 10 a.m. and costs $2 for the bus trip and $5 for a tour/museum donation. After the tour, you will go out to lunch, which you pay for. Be aware, you may not eat lunch until 12:30 um.

Cuma, Şubat. 6
Enjoy lunch at DiMillos restaurant in Portland. Enjoy lunch on the floating ship. The trip begins at 11 a.m. and costs $2 for the bus, plus lunch.

Çarşamba, Şubat. 18
Go to the Walker Memorial Library. The trip to the Westbrook library is free! Plus, any books you check out aren’t due until the follow month’s trip. If you can’t make next month’s trip, give your trips to Nikki and she’ll return them for you.

Perşembe, Şubat. 19
Lyric Theater’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The show is at 7:30 um. The bus trip costs $2 and the show costs $10. Enjoy this musical comedy.

Cuma, Şubat. 20
Market Basket in Biddeford. Enjoy shopping at this famous store. The trip is at 12:30 um. and the bus trip costs $3. Don’t forget your reusable grocery bags.

Pazartesi, Şubat. 23
Lunch at Smiling Hill Farm. Enjoy lunch at the farm’s yummy café, but save room for their wonderful ice cream. The trip is at 11 a.m.; the bus ride costs $2, and you pay for lunch and your purchases.

Çarşamba, Şubat. 25
Have lunch at Mulligans and then shop at Reny’s in Saco. Enjoy great deals and an affordable lunch. The trip starts at 10 a.m. and the bus ride costs $3. You pay for lunch.

The times listed above do not include pick-up and drop-off at the various buildings. Remember, the bus is a fragrance-free zone. Activities Coordinator Nikki Nappi can be reached at (207) 854-6841. Look for additional activities featured on calendars and signs posted on your building’s bulletin board.

Need some exercise? Residents age 50 and older can walk safely indoors and participate in chair exercises twice a week from 1 için 3:30 um. every Tuesday and Thursday at Presumpscot Place at 22 Foster St. The exercises are offered on a drop-in basis. Chair exercises are from 1 için 1:30 um. and walking exercises are 1:30 için 3:30 um. The cost is $1 for either option or both.

How to stay safe and warm in winter

Prevent hypothermia. When your body temperature is colder than 95 degrees F, you can suffer health problems and the elderly are especially at risk. Nearly all Westbrook Housing apartments are heated to at least 68 degrees F. If you still feel chilled, wear several layers of clothing.

Wear loose layers of clothing (the air between your layers helps you stay warm.) Put on a hat and scarf—you lose a lot of body heat when you neck and head are exposed. Wear a waterproof coat or jacket if it’s snowy.

Early signs of hypothermia include cold feet and hands, a puffy face, pale skin, slowed speech, acting sleepy or feeling angry and confused. Advanced signs of hypothermia include moving slowly, having trouble walking, jerky arm or leg movements, slow breathing and even losing consciousness.

If someone has signs of hypothermia, çağrı 911, wrap the person in a blanket. Do not rub their legs or arms, warm them in a bath or use a heating pad. Daha fazla bilgi için, read the National Institute on Aging’s Staying Safe in Cold Weather .

Electric blankets. While electric blankets provide an inexpensive way to keep warm, don‘t set anything on the blanket, don’t leave it turned on indefinitely, do not plug them into an extension cord, and replace the blanket if the cord pulls out or is not working properly.

Space heaters. Space heaters must be at least three feet away from anything that might catch ire, such as curtains, bedding or furniture. Do not place anything on or near space heaters, and they should never be left on when you’re not home. Never plug a space heater into an extension cord.

Drive extra carefully. Adults 65 and older are involved in more car accidents per mile than those in nearly all other age groups. Because winter driving can be treacherous:

• Have the antifreeze, tires, and windshield wipers checked and changed if necessary.
• Take a cell phone with you when driving in bad weather. Westbrook Housing Activities Coordinator Nikki Nappi has free 911 cell phones for people who don’t have a phone for emergencies. The phones only dial 911. Email her at nnappi@westbrookhousing.org or call her at 854-6841 Daha fazla bilgi için.
• Always let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to arrive, so they can call for help if you’re late.

Stock up on your medications. Storms can stop you from getting to the store or pharmacy for several days. During winter, make sure you have food and several days’ supply of medications.

When to move your car during a storm

Bir fırtına sırasında: Leave your car in its assigned spot, even if you leave and come back while it’s still snowing. We will plow access roads during the storm so emergency vehicles can reach your building, but we don’t clean sidewalks until after the storm stops.

If you must go out, please take great care when walking to your building through the parking lot. Make sure drivers and snow plow drivers see you when visibility is poor.

After the storm stops: Now you can go out and move your car to your building’s alternative park spot (click here for a complete list of where to park by building). When all the cars are moved, we will thoroughly plow, clear sidewalks and salt and sand where needed.

It can be challenging to know when exactly to move your car—it can take us up to 48 hours to plow your parking lot. At some buildings, we will post signs in the lobby indicating when it’s time to move your car and when it’s safe to move it back.

At Larrabee Village, which is home to elderly residents, maintenance staff will clean off and move cars during the plowing process. All cars must be in good working order.

Larrabee Woods: Park in the visitor parking area during the storm, return your car to its assigned spot once we post a green sign in the lobby.

Bahar Geçişi, PRESUMPSCOT Commons, Golder Commons, School House Commons, Riverview Terrace, 783/789 Ana St.: Park on nearby streets starting at 11 a.m. on the day after the storm until parking lots are clean.

Mill Brook Estates: Move to the visitor parking area when the green sign is posted in the lobby.

Larrabee Heights: Keep your vehicle in your garage until snow plowing is completed.