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Heat Protection for Older Adults an Important Measure for Health

Older adults are one of the groups that are most susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. In fact, several hundred people die due to natural heat related causes each year, something that is 100% preventable.

Defining Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Heat exhaustion is caused from repeated days of exposure due to high temperatures and is most likely accompanied by dehydration caused by a lack of appropriate fluids. By identifying the symptoms of heat exhaustion, you can effectively prevent any injury or further illness. These heat exhaustion symptoms include:

* Muscle cramping, weakness and lethargy

* Headache, dizziness, light-headedness and fainting

* Excessive sweating and vomiting or nausea

* Fast, weak pulse rate or shallow, fast breathing

Heat stroke is a serious condition when your body is exposed to a tremendous amount of heat that you are unable to shake off with sweating. Your body temperature rises quickly and you are unable to cool off. At 106?F, your brain starts to die. Even if caught in time, heat stroke can cause permanent mental or physical disabilities. Symptoms are similar to those of heat exhaustion, only to a larger extent like a throbbing headache, nausea, dizziness in addition to a body temperature of over 103?F, lack of sweating, dry, hot skin and a fast pulse rate.

Why Older Adults are More Susceptible to Heat Illnesses

Sometimes, it all boils down to body chemistry and physiology. Older adults, as a whole, just do not adjust as well as other age groups to abrupt changes in temperature. In addition, seniors often take medication which can hinder body processes that work to regulate body temperature or even sweating, a common body cooling-off mechanism. Finally, some seniors have medical conditions that inhibit your body's reaction to heat sources.

Coping with and Treating Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

The one thing that should never be done is sit alone or have an older adult sit in a hot, unattended car for any length of time. Take steps to ensure that you or a loved one is never exposed to the extreme heat for any length of time. Have fans or air conditioning circulating cool air to keep body temperatures down.

Tote bottled water everywhere, especially during hot times. Stay indoors or stick to shady areas in the heat of the day to stay cool. Avoid alcoholic or caffeinated beverages during hot times as they can increase dehydration. Stick with water and water based drinks to stay properly hydrated.

If you notice an older adult with any signs of heat related illness, you need to get medical assistance as soon as possible. While wait for assistance, you can get that person to a cool or shaded area to try and cool off. Find ways to cool the person's body temperature quickly using a cold shower, a cool water bath, spray them with cool water from a hose or even wet towels with cool water to wrap the person in.

In addition, you will want to take the person's temperature if possible to relay that information to medical personnel. Feed the person ice chips as drinking water right away may make them vomit. Also, avoid alcohol or any medication for headaches. Let the paramedics or medical personnel decide on a treatment plan. Your job is to just to try and cool the heat exhaustion or heat stroke victim until help arrives.