Published in Blackstone Valley Call & Times on January 27, 2026
With an upcoming winter storm forecast for New England, Michelle Clark, Executive Director of the Southern New England American Heart Association, is urging older Rhode Islanders to take extra precautions when shoveling snow. She warns that sudden physical exertion in cold temperatures may lead to an increased risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest.
This historic winter storm is already impacting the South and has brought destructive ice and heavy snow across 34 states, including the Midwest and Northeast. The arctic blast has brought extremely cold temperatures to the Eastern U.S. from Sunday through the week.
According to RINewsToday, Rhode Island has receive 16.5″ of light and fluff, on average. Specifically, official observations compiled by weather services, here are some specifics: Providence and nearby areas saw around 14 5 to 16.8 inches; West Warwick (15 inches); East Greenwich (12.1 to 12.3 inches); Westerly and North Kingston (11 to 13.5 inches); North Providence (18.4 inches); East Providence (12.1 inches); and Pawtucket (13.5 to 14 inches).
Snow Shoveling Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
With heavy snow accumulation comes the responsibility of clearing sidewalks. However, shoveling snow in extreme cold can be dangerous—and even deadly—if proper safeguards are not taken.
“Older adults, especially those with a history of heart disease or major risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight or obesity, or who currently smoke, should not be shoveling snow under any conditions,” Clark says.
Snow shoveling is a physically demanding activity that can place significant stress on the heart, particularly for individuals who are not accustomed to regular exercise. Numerous scientific studies over the years have documented the dangers of snow shoveling for people both with and without known heart disease.
“The risk is especially concerning for people with cardiovascular risk factors, including a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, current or former smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, as well as those who have previously had a heart attack or stroke,” Clark explains.
Clark points to a 2020 AHA scientific statement, “Exercise-Related Acute Cardiovascular Events and Potential Deleterious Adaptations Following Long-Term Exercise Training: Placing the Risks Into Perspective—An Update,” which identifies snow shoveling as a high-risk activity that places added strain on the heart, particularly among individuals who are not accustomed to regular physical activity.
“Research has found that the strain of heavy snow shoveling can be as demanding on the heart as a treadmill stress test,” Clark says. “Shoveling relies heavily on arm work—known as isometric or static exertion—which is more taxing on the heart than leg work. While lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow, people often unconsciously hold their breath, causing increases in heart rate and blood pressure,” she notes.
Combined with the effects of extreme cold, Clark warns, snow shoveling creates “a perfect storm” for a heart-related event. “The impact can be worse people who are the least fit,” she adds.
Clark cautions older adults against viewing snow shoveling as routine household work. “The movements are extremely demanding and can cause significant spikes in heart rate and blood pressure. Cold air also constricts blood vessels, forcing the heart to work harder under conditions that limit its ability to function efficiently.”
She emphasizes that warning signs—such as chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, or irregular heart rhythms—should never be ignored. “If symptoms occur, stop immediately,” Clark says. “Call 9-1-1 if symptoms do not subside shortly after stopping. If someone collapses while shoveling, call for help right away and begin Hands-Only CPR if the person is unresponsive and has no pulse.”
Tips to Reduce the Risk of Snow Shoveling
Clark recommends that individuals with known or suspected heart disease—or significant risk factors—ask someone else to handle snow removal whenever possible.
“If you must shovel, start slowly and pace yourself,” she advises. “Push or sweep the snow rather than lifting and throwing it, which requires less exertion. Cover your mouth and nose, dress in layers, and wear a hat and gloves.”
She also cautions against shoveling during windy conditions, noting that wind chills make temperatures feel colder and increase strain on the body.
When possible, Clark recommends using an automated snow blower instead of a shovel. “While caution is still necessary, research shows that using a snow blower doesn’t elevate heart rate as much as shoveling,” she says. “Snow blowing typically raises heart rate to about 120 beats per minute, compared to around 170 beats per minute during shoveling.”
Tag Archives for wellness
First Senate Aging Committee hearing of new congress looks at wellness
Published in RINewsToday on February 3, 2025
Over a week after the 119th Congress began on Friday, Jan. 3, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) took the reins of the U.S. Special Committee on Aging, becoming its 20thchairman. He follows in the footsteps of former Chairman Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), a 3-term Democratic Senator, who lost his reelection bid for a fourth term to Republican Dave McCormick. a West Point graduate, combat veteran and bronze star recipient, a national security, expert, and former hedge fund manager.
On Wednesday afternoon, on Jan. 15 in SD 106, Scott chaired the first Senate Aging Committee hearing of the new Congress, entitled “Improving Wellness Among Seniors: Setting a Standard for the American Dream.” The hearing, lasting two hours and seven minutes, put the spotlight on America’s senior health, personal and community safety and the benefits of socializing and working later in life.
While established in 1961 as a temporary committee, the Senate Aging Committee became a permanent Senate committee in 1977. Over the years, aging advocates say that committee has operated in a bipartisan manor. And the Florida Senator says he will carry on this tradition.
In his opening statement, the Republican Chairman stressed that aging is not a partisan issue. “Whether or not we’d like to admit it or note, we are all aging, and it impacts every single one of us regardless of political party” he said.
“I believe we have a big opportunity in this Committee to work in a bipartisan manner to support and improve the lives of America’s current senior citizens and create change that will improve both the lifespan and health span of future generations, said Chairman Scott, pledging that he and his staff will “work together with all the members here to find common ground and ways we can advance or shared goals.”
As chairman, Scott’s goals are to make sure every senior can say that they are physically healthy, financially secure, live in a safe community and has family and community support. “If you have all four of these things, your senior years can be the best time of your life,” he notes.
Sen. Kristin Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the ranking member who has served on the Senate Aging Committee since 2009, congratulated Scott for assuming his chairmanship position, “I look forward to working closely with you during this Congress,” she said, in her opening statement.
According to the Democratic Senator, the Senate Aging Committee has a long history of bipartisanship. “I hope we continue that tradition to advance an agenda that makes sure our loved ones can age with the support they need and with dignity and respect,” she said.
Gillibrand reported that she hopes to continue working on lower prescription drug costs, continuing to guard against financial scams, and protecting programs that older adults and people with disabilities rely on, such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare.
The ranking member noted that this hearing would address how to promote wellness among older adults. “We’ll address issues like accessible housing, financial security, and engagement with the community,” she said, the importance of giving people the tools to live and age well. “Those tools are different for everyone, but include resources like nutrition assistance programs, Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living, supportive housing programs, Medicare and Medicaid, and Social Security,” she added.
Ways to Improve the Health and Wellness of the Nation’s Seniors
During his testimony, Sheriff Bill Prummell rattled off a list of proactive and effective ways that the Sheriff’s Office serves and protects seniors and disabled adults residing in Charlottee County, Florida. Prummell shared a number of innovative programs with the Senators that could easily be replicated throughout the nation.
Here are just a few…
According to Prummell, who serves as President of the Florida Sheriff’s Association, his office utilizes trained volunteers to reach out weekly to isolated age 60 and over seniors and disabled adults. The volunteers get to know these individuals thru their weekly phone calls, by giving them Christmas gifts and mailing birthday cards to these individuals on that special date, too.
Meanwhile, Prummell noted that efforts like Project Lifesaver (using GPS tracking bracelets to locate wanderers) and DNA Scent Kits (enabling participants to keep a DNA scent article at home to be used by K9 Deputies) to assist his deputies in finding missing wanderers.
And, Operation Pill Drop, even allows individuals to dispose of expired or unwanted medication in drug receptacle boxes at participating district offices, he says, noting that this keeps family members and others from accessing the senior’s medication cabinet to take old and unused medications.
While she has seen dramatic improvements in preventative and health promotion programs, “we still have a long way to go,” says Witness Maria Alvarez, Executive Director of New York Statewide Senior Action Council. She used the Senate Aging Committee hearing as a bully pulpit to call for a 2025 White House Conference on Aging be held to “help the country chart a course for addressing the needs of the growing older population as 20 percent of this country is now over the age of 65.”
“But we cannot ignore the need to recognize that having health care and preventive services available is not sufficient if they are not affordable or if discrimination, actual or perceived persists,” Alvarez says.
According to Alvarez, along with Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid, the Older Americans Act “has had seismic effect on the elderly population. “These programs provide a framework that seniors can rely on to continue to live and thrive and live with dignity, she says.
Witness Dawn Carr, Ph.D., director of the Claude Pepper Center at Florida State University, told the attending Senators that it’s time to reframe aging policy to promote healthy aging, noting that this “will require an expansion of our current aging-related policy goals.” These goals must emphasize supporting healthy aging throughout a person’s lifespan, she said.
“It means expanding healthy aging research, improving health care literacy and access, and incentivizing health behaviors and health interventions based on optimal health function goals,” says Dr. Carr, adding that this means “thinking about viewing older people as a critical resource that improves our society, rather than as a barrier to societal progress.”
Finally, during her testimony, Professor Emerita Dr. Susan Hughes, Ph.D., in the Division of Community Health Sciences and Founding Director of the Center for Research and Health and Aging at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) described the imitations of current funding for health promotion programs for older adults, calling for “transformational re-thinking” of a historical focus on post-acute care. According to Dr. Hughes, this has resulted in funding gaps in supporting long-term care and preventative programs for older adults, especially for those with chronic conditions like arthritis.
Increased funding for wellness programs could reduce health care costs and improve out outcomes, she says, citing the success of UIC’s Fit & Strong! Program, a low cost, evidence-based intervention that helps senior’s manage osteoarthritis through physical activity.
But, despite the success of programs like Fit & Strong! lack of funding and reimbursement mechanisms, limit their impact, charges Dr. Hughes. calling for the Older American’s Act (OAA), particularly Title III D (or a new title), to support the funding of physical activity programming.
“Ultimately, however, we will see much bigger returns if we develop demonstrations and/or regulations or reimbursement mechanisms that support the dissemination of and access to evidence-based health promotion programs as extensively as possible through Medicare, says Dr. Hughes.
Walking the Talk
“Helping older people is a bipartisan issue — and the Aging Committee has a history of addressing the challenges that seniors face. The work that the Senate Aging Committee does is especially critical today, with 10,000 Baby Boomers turning 65 every day, and given the uncertainty about the future of critical programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security,” says Max Richtman, President & CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
Taking the reins of the Senate Aging Committee, Chairman Scott pledges to work with Ranking Member Gillibrand in a “bipartisan manner” to improve the lives of America’s seniors. Will he walk his talk or are these just empty words?
Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Aging Committee MUST work together to push the Republican-controlled Senate to allocate increased funding for the AOA and Medicare, or create additional reimbursement mechanisms to promote health and wellness programs. Research tells us that these programs increase physical activity, brings people together to socialize, and enhances brain health, and even cuts medical costs. Even with a federal budget deficit, in this case Congress must not be penny wise and pound foolish.
To watch this Senate Aging Committee hearing go to
Herb Weiss 