HOT WEATHER SAFETY FOR OLDER ADULTS
Hot weather is more likely to cause health problems in older adults than in younger ones.
About 200 Americans die of health problems caused by high heat and humidity every year. And most of them are 50 or older. Thanks to some of the physical changes that happen as we age, older adults can’t cool down as well as younger ones. Also just as important, older people may not feel hot when the temperature is dangerously high. They are also less likely to feel thirsty, even when they are almost dehydrated, which means that their bodies have lost dangerous amounts of water.
Because older adults may not feel hot, even when it’s dangerously warm, they and the people who care for them should check the temperature often during the summer. Here are some safety tips to help older people during the hot summer months.
Turn on the air conditioner, or go where it’s air-conditioned – a shopping mall, your local discount store, senior citizens center, library, for example. Do not walk long distances, lift heavy objects, or do other strenuous things.
Drink lots of water and other clear drinks that do not contain alcohol or caffeine. Remember: If your urine is a light-yellow color, you’re drinking enough water. If it’s darker yellow, you need to drink more.
Take cool showers, baths, or sponge baths. Try to wear lightweight, light-colored, loose- fitting clothing. Clothes made of light-weight cotton are a good choice. At times of extreme heat stay out of the sun.
Dehydration - is a loss of water in your body; this can be deadly. The warning signs are weakness, headache, muscle cramps, dizziness, confusion and passing out. If you have
signs of dehydration, you should call 911. Meanwhile, drink plenty of water and, if possible, “sports drinks” such as Gatorade or Powerade, which contain salts called
“electrolytes” that your body loses when you’re dehydrated.
Heat Stroke – is an extremely dangerous rise in your body temperature; it can be deadly, too. The warning signs are a body temperature of 103 or higher; red, hot and dry skin; a fast pulse; headache, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, confusion, and passing out. If you have the signs of a heat stroke, call 911 immediately. Move to a cool, shady place, take off or loosen heavy clothes, drink water or sports drinks. If possible, douse yourself with cool water, or use cold wet compresses to help lower your body temperature.
Heat Exhaustion – is an illness caused by too much heat and dehydration. The warning signs are heavy sweating or no sweating, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, paleness,
cold or clammy skin, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and fainting. If you are overcome by heat exhaustion, you should move to a cool, shady place, and drink plenty of cool fluids, such as water or sports drinks. If you don’t feel better fast, call 911.
If you do not have an air conditioner and only have a box fan you can try the following:
Get a container like a dish pan, fill it full of ice and water, and place the dish pan in front of your box fan and place it where it will blow the cooler air on you.
For information on air-conditioned senior citizens centers that are open daily (Monday through Friday) in your area contact the KEDDO Area Agency On Aging toll-free at 1-800-722-8180 or call 918-465-2367. Counties served are Choctaw, Haskell, Latimer, LeFlore, Pittsburg, Pushmataha and McCurtain.
Submitted Report