As summer in Australia is getting longer & hotter in the recent years, it’s extremely important that Australian seniors are well-informed about the consequences the heat can brought upon their wellbeing, and what they can do to properly cope with hot weather.

Below are the 4 tips to help taking care of your seniors in the summer and help them to avoid heat-related illnesses:

Make Sure They Dress Appropriately

It’s harder for seniors to feel the heat as much as they used to, which can lead to them overdressing in the summer. You can help seniors with clothing selection or provide them with appropriate clothing suggestions. Select lightweight materials that breathe such as natural cotton for them, and avoid blacks or dark-coloured clothing items that tend to absorb rather than reflecting the heat.

If they must go outside, choose loose-fitting clothing for them, and ask them to wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep themselves cooler & avoid direct sunlight. Plus, help them to put on sunscreen or sunblock that has SPF 15 or higher to avoid sunburn and skin cancer.

Ensure Their Home Is Cool

Many seniors opt to utilise air conditioners & fans sparingly during summer in fear of running up a huge power bill. There are many affordable options you can recommend for them to keep their house well-ventilated & cool, like installing ceiling fans (which costs around 3 cents an hour to operate).

Some other options you can recommend for seniors to keep their home cooler during summer months are: keeping security screened windows open at night, taking advantage of cross ventilation, keeping curtains & blinds drawn during the hottest part of the day, etc.

Help Them Be Aware Of Weather Conditions

Older people can be stubborn & oblivious to the dangers of doing their usual outdoor activities such as gardening during hot & humid days in the summer. Remind them that all of their outdoor activities must be balanced with measures that aid their body’s cooling mechanisms & prevent heat-related illnesses.

Recommend that they are to stay in a cool area or at least in the shade, and avoid going out when the sun is at its hottest. Advise them to take frequent rest breaks, and drink plenty of water & other non-alcoholic fluids throughout the day.

Take Them To Air-Conditioned Premises

If their homes don’t have air-conditioning, take your seniors to shopping malls, libraries, cinemas or other public buildings that are air-conditioned on particularly hot days. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat relief shelters in your area.

If your seniors lack transportation, ask family members to take them to these air-conditioned premises, or ask a caregiver from a senior care service such as Home Instead Senior Care Outer East to help them with their transportation.

BONUS TIP:

It is also important to note the following. Enacting Fire Emergency plans and enacting them at the appropriate time and moving to a safe environment on High Fire danger days.  Often services cannot be delivered on Extreme Fire danger days due to risk to staff. When fire danger is extreme we need to withdraw services!!

Click this link to know more: Emergency Risk Management Plans 2015-16

For more information on how you can keep your seniors safe and healthy during summer, contact Home Instead Senior Care Outer East. We are a high-quality and professional senior home care service with services ranging from basic in-home support like Personal Assistance to specialized care such as Dementia or Palliative Care.

Thanks for reading through this Blog, I hope you have found it useful. If you require any further assistance please feel free to contact the office.

Kind regards,
Suzanne McLoughlin
Owner of Home Instead Senior Care Outer East

P.S. We provide free Care Consultations and resource guides to support and guide families. Download your free copies from our Aged Care Resources page or Request a Free Information Pack to receive a hard copy.