As the temperatures start to soar this summer it is extremely important that you integrate heat safety into your care efforts for your elderly parent. Heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion can quickly become serious, even fatal, if not handled properly and elderly adults tend to be more vulnerable to temperature changes than younger people. Understanding this risk and keeping your parent cool is a vital part of guarding their health during the warm weather season.
Use these tips to keep your elderly parent safe and healthy in the heat during the summer months:
• Never allow your senior to sit in a vehicle unattended, even for a few minutes
• Ensure that your parent has a reliable climate control system that will keep their home cool
• Encourage your parent to eat cool foods with high water content and to sip water throughout the day to stay hydrated
• Keep your parent in the shade as much as possible when enjoying outdoor activities.
If your senior suffers from a heat-related illness, use these tips to help them manage the situation:
• If your elderly parent is suffering from heat cramps, encourage them to get into the shade or a cool building, stretch their muscles, and slowly drink cool water
• If your senior is suffering from heat exhaustion, get them into a cool or shaded area, encourage them to drink cool beverages, and use cool water on towels pressed to their skin to cool them off. If possible, get them into a cool shower to bring their temperature down
• If you suspect your parent has suffered heatstroke, move them into the shade or a cool location and have them recline, not lie down. Call for emergency medical help immediately and do not give them anything to drink. If there is low humidity, spray your parent with water and fan them. If there is high humidity, apply ice packs to the back of their neck and their armpits to keep them cool until emergency help gets there
Starting elderly care for your aging parent can be one of the best decisions that you can make for them and for yourself as their family caregiver. An elderly home care services provider can be with your parent on a customized schedule that is ideal not just for their needs but also for your care efforts. This means that they can receive the care, support, assistance, and companionship that will help them to be happy, safe, healthy, and comfortable both when you are able to be with them and when you are not. The highly personalized services of this care provider can be valuable for helping them to manage their challenges, limitations, and needs, but can also help them to maintain more mental and emotional health, independence, and fulfillment throughout their later years. As a family caregiver, knowing that your aging parent has the care of this type of care provider can ease your stress and enable you to focus more energy and attention on other obligations and needs in your life without
worrying that your parent is not getting everything that they need.
Source
http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/news-and-resources-surviving-the-hot-weather.aspx
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Brooklyn Park, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
