Summer Heat Especially Hard On The Elderly: Report

BIRMINGHAM, AL — When you live in Alabama, you know that June through September are hot months. And when the term "hot" is used in Alabama, that doesn't mean 85 degrees. It means triple digits sometimes, with high humidity. But what Alabamians may not know about the extreme heat in the South is how to protect those most vulnerable to the harmful effects of extreme heat.

Children and pets are often cited as the most vulnerable to the heat, which is why health officials and law enforcement have heightened public awareness of the dangers of extreme heat (locked cars, playing in the heat, etc.). However, one group that often goes overlooked is the elderly. According to University of Alabama at Birmingham geriatrician Andrew Duxbury, people 65 and older are some of the most susceptible to heat stroke.

"People who are 65 or older are more susceptible to heat-related issues because they may be socially isolated. We often check on the babies, but some may not remember to check on the elderly," Duxbury said. "A younger person’s body is able to handle the stresses and strains of excessive heat better than an older person’s."

He said heat stroke and heat exhaustion are the most common illnesses caused by overexposure to high temperatures.

"If you find someone in a hot environment and they are red, dry and hot to touch, you need to seek immediate medical attention for that person," Duxbury said. "That is an emergency, and that is heat stroke."

So what steps should be taken to avoid a potential heat-related emergency? Duxbury said one way to protect older adults from overheating is by making sure air conditioning and fans are used during hot months. This may seem like a given, but for many elderly people, it is not.

"A lot of times, in heat waves, elderly people are unable to leave their apartments or houses to cool down by going to the mall, the movies or the pool," Duxbury said. "They may also be immobile and unable to turn the air conditioning on in their home. Some may not run the air conditioning as a way to cut down on their power bill."

Another element of safety for the elderly is hydration.

"In older people, the thirst mechanism does not work as well as it does in younger people," Duxbury said. "So they may not feel thirsty, but they could become dehydrated quite easily."

One way to check for dehydration is to pull up the skin on the back of the hand for a few seconds; if it does not return to normal almost immediately, the person is dehydrated.

Duxbury says to keep water next to the bed or chair, so they have access to water at all times.