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Keeping It Cool: Summertime Tips For Seniors
Senior citizens as a group are much more vulnerable to the effects of heat in the summertime than any other. Each year, seniors succumb unnecessarily to dehydration, heat stroke, and heat exhaustion. Here are some of the basics for keeping seniors cool in the summertime.
-- Slow down. Even healthy seniors should take it easier during the summer months and take care not to overexert themselves when the weather gets hot. Everyone has a built-in internal cooling system, but seniors' bodies are a little slower to respond and react to differences in external temperature.
-- Be careful when planning outdoor activities. Seniors should carefully and diligently avoid events that take place during the hottest hours of the day from 11 am to 5 pm. Gardening, for example, should always be done in the early morning or late evening. If a senior must be out and about, she should try to stay in the shade or run her errands in air conditioned places such as grocery stores and shopping malls.
-- If a senior still lives at home but has limited function and mobility, family members should take it upon themselves that their loved one's home cooling system is functioning properly. Have air conditioners professionally serviced so that they'll be in good shape to last all summer long. If the senior doesn't have air conditioning, he should use a network of electric fans throughout the house.
-- Many seniors hesitate to keep windows open for security reasons. Install safety latches that will allow air to come in but will not allow the windows to be opened from the outside. Too many older folks suffocate unnecessarily because they were simply afraid to open the windows. Maintaining adequate ventilation is essential, especially if there's no air conditioning system.
-- Keeping bodies hydrated is as important for sedentary older folks as it is for active young ones. Even if a senior spends most of her day indoors, she should make a conscious effort to keep a bottle of water nearby. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages actually exacerbate dehydration and should be avoided as much as possible during the summer months.
-- Dress for the weather. Wear light colored clothing and cotton that "breathes." Tight fitting skirts or binding waistbands on pants might make unduly increase body temperature. Seniors should make it a habit to wear a hat when going outdoors and keep plenty of sun block on hand to use if they happen to be where it's sunny.
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