Hypothermia a risk, as is dehydration.

• Position: The Elderly

The blanket of winter white that is covering parts of the country may make for picture-perfect landscapes, but there is nothing pretty about the frigid cold and it could be deadly for seniors in ways many people do not even realize. Families should check on the health of their elderly loved ones frequently during cold snaps, advises Peter Ross, founder and CEO of Senior Helpers, St. Louis, Mo. "While were all familiar with the dangers of older citizens falling on ice, there are even greater risks for seniors when the weather gets cold that most of us don't think of, such as hypothermia and dehydration. Hypothermia and dehydration are so dangerous because even mild cold temperatures can cause problems for the elderly, That's why if you cant check up on your elderly loved one, hire someone who can."

With hypothermia, the core body temperature drops below the normal 98.6. Every year, hypothermia kills about 600 Americans, half of whom are 65 or older according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--and not just outside, Even inside home temps of 60-65 can trigger hypothermia in seniors because their bodies have less insulating fat and muscle: their metabolism is slower: and they are less active.

Moreover, certain illnesses and medicines slow their body's responses to cold. Many of the aging live on fixed incomes and, in this recession, cannot afford high heating bills, and some do not feel temperature drops because of...