Senior Spotlight: Staying Healthy In The Heat

July is here and so is a hotter-than-usual heat wave! Temperatures in the South Bay and Tri-Valley are peaking from 90+ degrees to as high as 110 degrees. But even if you are not experiencing triple digits, it’s critical to be aware of how heat impacts us as we age.

The CDC reports that last year, heat-related illness resulted in almost 120,000 emergency rooms visits. Even more alarming, heat-related deaths are on the rise as shown in federal data and corroborated by the Environmental Epidemiology Journal and researchers at Duke University. The National Institute on Aging says that most people who die from the heat are over age 50.

Heat & Age

There are 5 key reasons why heat is harder on the body with age (this is not intended to serve as medical advice; please consult your medical professionals to assess your own heat risk factors):

#1: Many medications that older adults take affect their body’s ability to deal with heat.

#2: Sweat glands become less effective with age, limiting the way in which the body can cool itself.

#3: The body releases heat by increasing blood flow to the skin; this requires the heart to work harder – magnifying the risks for the over 20 million US adults with heart disease.

#4: Older adults are at higher risk of dehydration, as a decreased sense of thirst sets in as you age. This is even more challenging to manage for those with kidney disease, which is present in nearly 40% of adults aged 65.

#5: Diabetes and blood sugar levels are largely impacted by heat as blood sugar get smore concentrated when there is less water in the body. Nearly 30% of adults are diabetic, making blood sugar management in the heat a common problem.

AARP offers a comprehensive list of ways to stay safe in the heat – older adults should consider these proactive measures anytime the temperature approaches or rises over 85 degrees. Key steps include: talking to your doctor about your medications, drinking past the point of thirst, paying attention to your thermostat, knowing where your cooling centers are, learning the warning signs of heat-related illness, checking in on others and staying aware of the heat forecast and humidity in your location.

Please be sure to stay cool, stay calm and stay connected during this sizzling season!

Bobbi

Bobbi Decker
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