Summer Can be a Dangerous Time for Seniors Citizens

Summer Can be a Dangerous Time for Seniors Citizens
When the weather gets hot, seniors are prone to some of the same dangers as children. Like children, they have much more sensitive body reactions to changes in weather conditions. It’s not widely known that a simple air-conditioner can be a threat to seniors. The air-conditioner in and of itself is not the threat. It’s the possibility of a poorly maintained unit being in the home that can cause problems. When extreme weather comes into play, the chances of an accident happening greatly increase. A recent report suggests that about one-third of seniors live in a space with insufficient or poorly-functioning air conditioning. (This statistic does not include seniors that reside in some sort of hospice north hollywood service.)
What kind of things can go wrong?
The body, in its machine-like need to adapt to changing environments and acclimate to what is going on internally, is always working to balance the difference between its heat production and its heat loss, with the brain regulating the changes.
The symptoms of long-term heat exposure can be:
-Heat Exhaustion
-Weakness
-Nausea
-Water retention or dehydration
How can you protect yourself?
There are many things you can do to protect yourself from heat exposure. Drinking plenty of liquids is a great start. Also, it’s important to remember that fluids don’t always have to come in liquid form. Fruits and vegetables are a great way to hydrate your body as well. In the summer months, coffee and tea are things to avoid since they tend to dehydrate the body.
If your home doesn’t happen to have a fan or air conditioning (If you reside in an moorpark hospice service, you shouldn’t have this problem), keeping your windows open at night is always a good way to keep cool. If you want to keep the window open during the day, putting a sheet over the window is a good way to keep out the sun’s heat.
Paying attention to weather reports is always helpful when trying to stay prepared. Always remember that you’re more vulnerable to hot weather when air pollution is a contributing factor. Also, dressing in cottons and natural fabrics tend to be much cooler than the synthetic fibers that can be found in some clothes. Don’t forget that light colored clothes are better than dark colored clothes when reflecting the sun.
And finally, avoid crowded places when it’s hot. Human solidarity is a great thing, but when the sun is bearing down on you in the hot summer months, don’t hesitate to give yourself a little space.
hospice northridge marketing services are provided by 800seniors.com a leading referral
system in the assisted living industry. For more information, call 1-800-768-8221. Sky Palma is a freelance staff writer. Visit http://www.assistedlivinginformation.blogspot.com for more information!