The Journal-World recently spoke with Lawrence Memorial Hospital community educators Aynsley Anderson and John Drees to get their advice on how area seniors can have a healthy winter. Here are some tips they gave:

1. Avoid falls. When it’s icy or snowy outside, the best thing to do is stay home. Falls can lead to expensive joint replacements — or worse. Seniors also have a diminished center of gravity, which increases their risk of falling. Each year, a third of people over the age of 65 reported having a fall, Anderson said. “If you need to get something from the grocery store and it’s icy, call somebody,” she said. If you must go out, walk only on sidewalks that have been cleared of snow or ice, keep a cellphone with you and take it slow.
2. Find good transportation. Affordable transportation can help keep seniors off the icy sidewalks and out of the cold, as well as take them to social gathering spots in the community. Douglas County Senior Services offers low-cost transportation. To make a reservation, call 785-865-6925 (or 785-594-3376 if you’re in Baldwin City). In addition, retirement communities often offer their residents free transportation.
3. Consider using a personal home-monitoring system. With services such as Lifeline, you wear a device around your neck or wrist that allows you to push a button to seek help in case of an emergency.
4. Get vaccinated. The elderly are at a high risk of developing influenza-related complications, which can lead to death, so the annual flu shot is vital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends that adults 60 and older get two pneumococcal vaccines, as well as the zoster vaccine that protects against shingles.
5. Exercise. “That’s a big booster for the immune system,” Anderson said. There are many indoor locations in Lawrence for free or low-cost fitness, including the new Sports Pavilion Lawrence, 100 Rock Chalk Lane (free for Douglas County residents), which has a 1-mile walking track. “People don’t have to walk in circles around Target anymore,” she added.
6. Have good nutrition. Eating right helps keep your immune system healthy. That includes drinking plenty of water — because it gets drier in the winter — and consuming lots of fruits and vegetables.
7. Socialize. Surrounding yourself with other people can help prevent seasonal depression. One option is the Lawrence Senior Center, 745 Vermont St., which offers activities and a place to hang out with others. “Be positive. Get out there. Be vibrant,” Drees said. “Lawrence is a nice town — take advantage of all those opportunities!”
8. Protect yourself against illness. Wash your hands often and avoid large crowds, particularly if you have a compromised immune system.
9. Keep your mind engaged. “The mind is so important in leading the body,” Drees said. “There are so many studies that show mental attitude reflected in blood pressure, hormones, lymph.”