Health Tip
During the summer months, older adults are at a significantly increased risk for hyperthermia, the name for heat-related illnesses. Hyperthermia can include heat stroke, heat edema (swelling in your ankles and feet when you get hot), heat syncope (sudden dizziness after exercising in the heat), heat cramps, and heat exhaustion. The National Institute on Aging makes these suggestions for avoiding hyperthermia:
Stay indoors on particularly hot or humid days.
Drink plenty of liquids and wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothes in natural fabrics.
If you do not have a fan or air conditioner, go somewhere else that is cool. A local senior center may provide a cooling center, or you can go to a public air-conditioned place like a mall, movie theater, or library.
Look for symptoms of heat stroke, which include fainting, a change in behavior, dry, flushed skin with a strong and rapid pulse, and lack of sweating. If you believe someone is suffering from heat stroke, call 911.