7.5.05
Seniors and Hot Weather

Senior citizens need to take special precautions to avoid overheating in hot weather.

The hot, humid weather is hard on everyone, but it is especially hard on senior citizens. Dr. Amber Barnhart, associate professor of family and community medicine at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield explains why hot weather can be harmful to the elderly.

SOUND BITE: " . . . they don’t sweat as easily and the sweating mechanism is designed to help us cool off. A second big reason they have a harder time with hot weather is they don't identify as easily that they are actually overheating. So they’re just not as sensitive to feeling the actual hot temperature."

Dr. Barnhart says to help seniors stay cool, they can apply cold wash cloths on various parts of their body, stay in the shade, and use fans and air conditioning. If their home is not air conditioned, they should go to the mall, a cooling center or a friend or family member’s home that has air conditioning. She says some health conditions cause even more concern in the hot weather.

SOUND BITE: " . . . a lot of the medications set you up to again not recognize when you are overheating. So that in particular, like heart conditions, diabetes, lung conditions can all be worsened by hot weather. And then the senior may not have the usual signs and symptoms that are getting in trouble. So if anyone with those kinds of conditions need to be extra careful."

Dr. Barnhart reminds family members and friends to check on seniors regularly to make sure they are okay. If someone has symptoms of overheating such as a high body temperature, headaches, light-headedness or nausea, they should be taken quickly to a primary care physician or hospital emergency department.