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This year is shaping up to be one of the hottest summers on record. We don’t need anyone to remind us how uncomfortable the temperatures have been, and combined with smoke from Canadian wildfires, it’s not been very pleasant to be outside lately.
Not only is the heat unpleasant, it can be downright dangerous, especially as we age. Older bodies do not adjust as quickly as they once did to temperature changes, and as we get older we’re more likely to have chronic conditions that affect our bodies’ response to temperature changes, and be taking medications that affect the ability to control our internal temperature.
Older adults are at higher risk for heat-related illnesses and even death, so it pays to be cautious if you have any of these risk factors:
• Having cardiovascular, lung, or kidney disease
• Any illness that causes weakness or fever
• Taking drugs including sedatives, diuretics, tranquilizers and some heart and high blood pressure medications
• Being on several prescriptions at the same time
• Being obese, overweight or underweight
• Drinking alcoholic beverages
• Living in a place without air conditioning or fans
• Becoming dehydrated Here’s what you can do to limit your risk of becoming ill from the heat:
• Stay out of the sun – direct sunlight not only makes you hotter, you risk sunburn as well
• Keep your home as cool as possible – keep shades, blinds, and curtains drawn, limit use of the oven, and keep fans or air conditioning running, and open windows at night
• If you don’t have air conditioning, visit public spaces that do, like libraries, shopping centers, or movie theaters
• Wear light colored, loose, light-weight clothing
• Drink plenty of liquids, but not containing caffeine or alcohol
• Avoid outdoor activity – the lawn isn’t growing anyway – or limit it to early morning or as the sun is setting If you start to feel unwell because of the heat, take steps to cool down. You may feel dizzy, have swollen ankles or legs, have muscle cramps, feel uncoordinated or nauseated, or be sweating a lot. If you are:
• Get out of the sun into a cool place
• Lie down
• Drink cool fluid, but not with alcohol or caffeine
• Put a cool wet cloth on the back of your neck
• Take a cool – not cold – bath or shower If someone faints, becomes very confused or acts strangely, stops sweating or has dry, flushed skin they need immediate medical attention. Get them indoors or under shade, cool them off with cool water and get them to an urgent care center, emergency room or call 911.
It won’t be long before we’re wishing the warm temperatures were back, but until then, stay safe in the heat!
