Senior citizens worst affected by cold wave

New Delhi: Scores of elderly people have said that problems like high blood pressure, chest infections, heart attacks, etc get severe during winters.

In a survey conducted by Agewell Foundation, in which it spoke to 1,500 respondents in the national capital, it was found that old people are the worst affected lot during winters.

Around one-fourth elderly respondents (381 out of 1500) reportedly claimed that their worsening health condition during winters is a major concern for them.

While19.2 per cent respondents said that lack of proper heating system/ relief material affect them most during winters, 17.4 older persons said that higher pollution levels aggravate problems like chest infections, breathing problems, asthma attacks, etc during winters.

“Several studies also suggest that mortality among old people is comparatively much higher during winters due to various health related complications. In northern India, winter is more fatal for elderly,” said Agewell Foundation in a statement.

Every fifth elderly respondent claimed that high blood pressure, heart attacks are most common health related problems during winters.

Approximately 12 per cent respondents said that flu and related complications top among the most common health related complications during the cold weather and stroke, paralysis was adjudged as most common health related issues by almost 9 per cent elderly respondents during the survey by the NGO.