You’re not wrong if you feel like summertime weather is getting warmer. Summers are getting warmer everywhere, and with the higher temperatures come more risks for seniors. Summer isn’t like it used to be, so seniors must take more precautions to protect themselves. The heat in many places can be downright dangerous in the summer. If your senior loved one is aging in place you and they should use these tips to stay safe during the summer:
Get Home Care Assistance
When temperatures soar and there is extreme heat where your senior parent lives, the best thing for them to have is home care assistance. With home care assistance, your senior loved one will have someone to help them if the air conditioning goes out or they need something. A home care assistance provider can also do the shopping and run errands so that your senior loved one can stay inside where it’s cool and won’t have to go out in the heat and sun.
Get Central Air
Many seniors are resistant to central air conditioning if they live in a part of the country where they have never needed it. But temperatures are warming up everyone. Even places where air conditioning was a luxury and not a necessity are becoming dangerously hot. The cost of installing central air conditioning is worth the investment in your senior parent’s health. With central air, your senior parent can stay nice and cool all summer.
If it’s impossible to install central air in your senior loved one’s home, then window air conditioning units will do, but they are not as efficient at cooling as central air. They are a good option when central air is not possible, though.
Make Sure To Drink Lots Of Water
Drinking cool water in the summer is essential. Seniors can quickly get dehydrated in the heat even if they aren’t participating in strenuous activities. Encourage your senior loved one to drink water every hour. Stock the fridge with bottled waters in many different kinds and flavors so your senior loved one will have lots of water to choose from. It’s also a good idea to keep sugar-free sports drinks, and water with electrolytes in it stocked for your senior parent because those drinks can also be healthy for dehydrated seniors.
Wear Sunscreen Every Day
The sun is highly damaging to seniors. That’s why seniors should be wearing sunscreen every day, even if they are inside. The sun can still cause damage to windows if seniors sit near a window for hours each day. A high SPF sunscreen will help protect your senior loved one’s mature skin that needs extra protection. As people get older, their skin loses some of the elasticity and fat pad beneath the skin that helped minimize skin damage. Daily sunscreen can protect aging skin from UV rays and other damage.
Providing Exceptional Home Care for seniors and families in the Ashburn area, including Arlington, Alexandria, McLean, Reston, Burke, Ashburn, Centreville, Springfield, Manassas, and Oakton. Call today to speak with our caring staff: (703) 272-8838
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