Home Care Tips: How to Prevent Heat Exhaustion in Seniors
During the hot summer months, heat exhaustion is something that affects us all. However, seniors are much more susceptible to heat exhaustion than most of the population. It can be difficult to prevent this if you do not know where to start. Here are some home care tips that will help you prevent heat exhaustion in seniors.
Understand existing health conditions
Seniors are almost always going to have existing health conditions that you will need to consider. When giving the best home care, it is important to learn what these existing conditions are and how they uniquely affect your clients. Be mindful of medications, physical limitations, and any other extra sensitivities seniors may have due to health conditions.
Always stay hydrated
One of the best home care tips for summer safety is to stay hydrated — especially during heat waves. When you are constantly staying hydrated, it is much easier to avoid heat exhaustion. Water is always the best option when you are trying to stay hydrated. While it is also a great idea to drink juices and other naturally flavored drinks, it is a bad idea to drink soda. Soda will make you more dehydrated. Encourage the seniors in your care to drink lots of water and to avoid beverages that are dehydrating.
Avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day
Just because it is summer doesn't mean that you can't go outside. When you do go outside, you just need to make sure that you are choosing the times of day that are cool. From the hours of noon to four in the afternoon are some of the easiest times to get heat exhaustion. You need to make sure that you and the seniors in your care are avoiding the heat at these times of the day. Instead, do outside activities early in the morning or while the sun is setting.
Make sure seniors are taking it easy
Summertime and the livin’ is easy! A great home caregiving tip for any type of weather is to make sure that the your senior clients are taking it easy. If they are trying to do too much, it is going to be difficult for them to stay healthy, especially in hot weather. Home caregivers can help seniors pace themselves so that they do not suffer from overexertion.
Understand the warning signs of heat exhaustion
When you understand the warning signs of heat exhaustion, you will be able to better prevent it from happening to you. Dizziness and headache are two key signs of heat exhaustion. It is important that when clients mention they are feeling this way, they get to a cool area and drink as much liquid as possible. Chest pain and rapid heart rate are also two signs that you should closely monitor.
Keep the home cool
One of the best home care tips for the hot months is to make sure that the home is always at a cool and pleasant temperature. This will help to ensure the safety of the seniors during hot weather. As a home caregiver, you are a client’s best line of defense. If you notice that their home is hot and stifling, engage in communication with your client in order to find a solution. Even being cooled by a fan is not enough to prevent heat exhaustion. It is important to not count on fans alone, but to fully prevent the causes of heat exhaustion, such as dehydration and overexertion.
Wear the right type of clothing
Wearing clothing that is too heavy can really play into heat exhaustion. Make sure that seniors are wearing the right type of clothes that will help them stay cool during the warm months. Dry, fit and breathable clothes will help seniors feel more comfortable overall and will help them to avoid heat exhaustion.
Home Care Services in Northern California
These are just a few of the many different tips that will help your senior clients stay cool in the warm summer months. Avoiding heat exhaustion is very important for seniors. These home care tips will help the overall health of seniors. For more information on home care services, please contact us.
