subject: Avoiding Heat Stress This Summer [print this page] Heat stress is something everyone should be aware of as the days get hotter. More so than the rest however, the elderly need to be extra cautious. The 2 forms of heat stress (heat exhaustion and heat stroke) are a very real threat the seniors and they and their caregivers need to be conscious of the symptoms and precautions. The elderly are more prone to taking medications that may impede the bodys ability to sweat or disperse heat as well as being less adept at adjusting to sudden changes in temperature. Our Michigan senior living communities and their staff want to share a bit of information about all of this in hopes that it will help prevent issues from arising.
Heat stroke is the more serious of the two options and occurs when your body can no longer control its temperature. Your body can no longer sweat and a very common symptom to this is for persons temperature to rise to 106 F or higher in about 10 to 15 minutes. This can mean death to a health youngster and will most certainly present issues to an elderly individual if not treated quickly.
Symptoms of heat stroke are: an extremely high body temperature, red hot and dry skin, no sweating, dizziness, nausea, and throbbing headache.
If you feel you or someone around you has these symptoms and is at risk then immediately call for emergency care (911) and remove yourself of the individual from the heat. Give them water or a nonalcoholic, no caffeinated drink preferably with electrolytes at a rate of half a cup every 15 minutes. Take a cool shower or bath and try to cool off. Remove clothing to allow their skin access to the air, do not cover them with a blanket or towel.
Heat exhaustion is the lesser of the two illnesses but can still be dangerous to elderly adults. The main cause of this particular illness is either an inadequate or unbalanced amount of fluids.
The symptoms for this are: heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, fainting clammy skin, fast and weak pulse, and fast and shallow breathing.
The method for caring for this is similar to heat stroke with a few exceptions. First off dont call 911 right away, cool off before you do anything else and if in 30 minutes of care there is no improvement then call. You do not need to remove all clothing just outer wear and jeans if you are wearing them instead of shorts. Any method you can find to rapidly cool off yourself or the individual is recommended.
To avoid these issues is rather simple, it just takes some forethought. Make sure you drink enough liquids. Staying hydrated is key for avoiding many health issues. Wear loose and light clothing, this lets the body breath and give off heat. Avoid strenuous activities and make sure you rest frequently. If you have medications that dampen your bodys ability to regulate heat then it might be best to avoid heat and stay in the shade at least.
Heat stress is very serious and should not be messed with. Make sure that you do everything you can to avoid issues and stay hydrated. These can be less serious in the young, but elderly individuals are at more risk and take it from a MI assisted living center, prevention is 90% of the battle. So take precautions and enjoy your summer.
