EEK! Can I keep myself and the older people I love safe in hot weather?
Heat-related health problems increase with age! Did you know that?
Hyperthermia is caused by a failure of the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body. Hyperthermia includes:
- Heat fatigue
- Heat syncope (sudden dizziness after prolonged exposure to the heat)
- Heat cramps
- Heat exhaustion
- Heat stroke
Older people, particularly those with chronic medical conditions, have lifestyle factors that can often lead to hyperthermia including:
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Lack of mobility and access to transportation
- Living in housing without air conditioning
- Overdressing
- Not understanding how to respond to hot weather conditions
- Visiting overcrowded places
What medical issues can lead to an increase in hyperthermia in the elderly?
You or your parents also may have medical issues that increase the risk of hyperthermia:
- Dehydration.
- Heart, lung and kidney diseases, as well as any illness that causes general weakness or fever.
- High blood pressure or other health conditions that require changes in diet.
- Use of multiple medications.
- Age-related changes to the skin such as poor blood circulation and inefficient sweat glands.
- Being substantially overweight or underweight.
- Reduced sweating, caused by medications such as diuretics, sedatives, tranquilizers and certain heart and blood pressure drugs.
- Alcohol use.
What are the signs for heat stroke?
The Signs of Heat Stroke
Signs and symptoms of heat stroke include a significant increase in body temperature (generally above 104 degrees Fahrenheit), changes in mental status (like confusion or combativeness), strong rapid pulse, lack of sweating, dry flushed skin, feeling faint, staggering or coma.
How to aid someone suffering with hyperthermia (including heat stroke):
- Get the person out of the heat and into a shady, air-conditioned or other cool place. Urge them to lie down.
- If you suspect heat stroke, call 911.
- Encourage the individual to shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water if it is safe to do so.
- Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits, and/or groin. These are places where blood passes close to the surface of the skin, and the cold cloths can help cool the blood.
- If the person can swallow safely, offer fluids such as water, fruit and vegetable juices. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Head over to the National Institute on Aging for more information on Hyperthermia.
No compensation was provided for this post. The Chief Blonde posted this for your reference.
Source: The National Institute on Aging.
These are great tips. Heat stroke is scary and it is important to know the signs and what to do.
I make sure to keep the kids hydrated in the heat. Sunscreen is so important to keep putting on threw the day.
This is important information to know. It has been so hot this summer. The city has set up cooling stations.
A lot of great info here. Thank you for sharing about this. I’ve never had a heat stroke or known anyone who has, but I’m glad I read through your post.
This is really good to know! I wasn’t aware of all the symptoms. It’s easy to push your body past its limit in the summer.
It’s always important to keep these signs in mind for anyone of any age. Especially since it’s been so hot recently.
These can be so important!! I think everyone gets so excited with the warm weather that we forget that not everyone can handle the heat!! I don’t know about you but my elder tend to be super stubborn lol, so I like to sneakily remind them to drink water and get some shade!! We are constantly making sure my grandparents are running their air instead of “saving money”.
heat related health issues are so scary. We’ve had heat stroke in our family before when we went on a hike and it ended up being a lot longer than we planned. Not so fun to then have to rush out of the canyon to the hospital for my brother. It’s even scarier for older people.
Actually it would not be a bad idea to just print this off and keep it visible. The summers get so hot and so many older people think they can go out and garden and do other activities and are risk when they get too hot. I love the idea of keeping vegetable juice on had to offer as that seems like a healthy alternative when someone refuses water.
Heat stroke is such a scary thing! Living in AZ I make sure that my family stays well hydrated in order to avoid any heat illness.
These are great tips! I finally just caved and put my main level ac on. It wasn’t worth suffering to save a buck or two.
Great post. Lots of folks don’t know what to look for. This is really good info to have if anyone you know (especially your parents) are likely to have a problem.
Thanks!
Thanks Elle!! It’s true, I have had some of these issues myself. Shelley
The heat around here can be scary at times. My daughter already has syncope issues so she has to stay super hydrated.
This is helpful information. I wasn’t sure what signs of heat stroke and hypothermia in elderly people would be.
This is downright frightening when it comes to family members who have health conditions or are older. Thanks for the tips!
Since I moved down to Florida, I’ve heard people talking about heat stroke in the elderly a lot. As we get older, we forget that we can’t stand up to the things we used to be able to.
Thanks so much for sharing this. My Gram has a mini farm, and she’s out there every day no matter what. I get nervous for her sometimes. She’s over 80!
This is great information and something I always consider when doing my daily runs in the heat.
I think this is a great informative post. It’s definitely a good idea to print out the infographic and put it on the fridge. Thank you for sharing this post.
I cut my grass over the weekend and in 100 degree weather, I was shaking by the time I got through. I’m 51, so it scared the heck out of me. I had all the symptoms on the left of the diagram. My pulse was going like crazy. I was staggering and though I felt hot, I wasn’t sweating like I should have been. I know that I will not be cutting the grass without taking SEVERAL breaks and drinking LOTS of water.