While most people don’t particularly enjoy sitting out in the heat of summer, many elderly people could become physically ill if they get too hot in the summer. But unfortunately, people often don’t realize this until it’s too late and they have already suffered from heat exhaustion or worse.
To help ensure that this doesn’t happen to an elderly person that you care for, here are three tips for helping your elderly loved ones stay cool in the summer.
Help With Hydration
One of the best ways to fight off overheating in the summer is to stay properly hydrated. However, this is something that many older people struggle with, just like many young people struggle with this as well.
To give your elderly loved one the best chance of having enough water in their body to be able to withstand the heat of where they live, you could encourage them to set up a system of when they’ll drink a certain amount of water. This could look like drinking a glass of water before and during each meal. Additionally, if they are going to be spending any amount of time outside, you’ll want to share with them the importance of replacing their electrolytes as well. This way, their body won’t dry out even more from being in the outdoor heat and sun.
Know How Their Medications Might Complicate Things
If your elderly loved one takes some medications to help them stay healthy, you’ll want to work with them and their doctors to double check how these medications could complicate things for them in the summer.
Many medications can make people more sensitive to sunlight, which could cause them to get a sunburn more easily when outside. Along with this, some medication can also make your loved one more vulnerable to the effects of the heat. This is something that should be on the warning label for their medications, so check this out or ask their doctor to be sure that they aren’t putting themselves in danger that could have been avoided.
Make Sure Their Home Isn’t Too Hot
Sadly, many elderly people only have a very limited amount of money that they can spend on their monthly expenses, like their heating and cooling bill. So if your loved one isn’t living in an assisted living facility and is still caring for themselves, make sure you talk to them about ensuring that they are keeping their home at a safe temperature.
For most elderly people, anything over 78 degrees Fahrenheit inside is going to be too hot. So if this means that you have to help them with their cooling bill during the hottest parts of the summer, be ready to take on this responsibility to help keep them safe.
If you have an elderly loved one that you’re worried about keeping cool in the heat of the summer, consider using the tips mentioned above to know what you can do to help them stay safe and cool.
Feature photo by Askar Abayev
