Help Seniors Stay Cool In The Summer

7 ways to help your senior family member stay cool in the summer

Experiencing high temperature can be uncomfortable especially for seniors. It is important for seniors to take precautions on hot summer days. Are you wondering about how can you help them? We at Visiting Angels have compiled a few tips on how to keep your senior family member cool during this heat wave.

High heat risk factor

There are a few factors that make seniors especially vulnerable to high temperatures. Decreased blood circulation, taking medications and change sense of thirst due to ageing can all increase the risk of problems a senior may face in the hot weather.

Research by McGill University states that seniors who have chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases or diabetes are at an even greater risk in the heat. So, it is very important to keep seniors at minimum risks of dehydration, heat exhaustion and a heat stroke.

1. Stay hydrated – drink a lot of fluids

It is very important for seniors to drink a lot of water during hot summer days. Make sure that your senior family member drinks a lot of water throughout the day and does not wait until they are feeling thirsty.

2. Eat more fruits and vegetables

This is another way to help your senior relative stay hydrated since fruits and vegetables have a high-water content.

3. Dress appropriately: Wear loose, breathable clothing.

It is important to keep seniors comfortable and make sure that they are wearing breathable clothing to avoid skin conditions such as rashes or red skin due to the heat.

4. Refrigerate or freeze their bedsheets 

Heat makes it hard to fall asleep. Therefore, one way to help your senior family member sleep at night in the heat is to refrigerate or freeze their bedsheet.

5. Cool down their hot zones

Applying a little ice pack or a bottle filled with iced water will help your senior relative cool down immediately.

These pressure points are:

• Ankles
• Behind the knees
• Wrists
• Elbow bends
• Neck
• Temples

6. Make a smoothie to keep cool in the summer

There are plenty of easy to make smoothie recipes that can be found online. Making smoothies can be a fun way to spend quality time with your loved one.

Here are a few interesting links for you and your senior relative to try out:

• Hydrating summer smoothies: click here
• Watermelon and cucumber smoothie: click here
• Hydrating electrolyte juice: click here
• Refreshing summer drinks to cool you down: click here

7. Have more salads and light meals

Choose chilled items for lunch instead for your senior loved one. Salads are a great option.

Here are few easy recipes for you and your senior family member to try out:

• Easy Greek salad: click here
• Quick and easy pasta salad: click here
• Summertime recipes with Gordon Ramsay: click here
• Healthy summer meal preps (this would be extremely beneficial for your senior family member as you can prepare their meals in advance): click here

At Visiting Angels, we take care of every single detail in their lives. Whether you need help with grocery shopping,
assistance with booking appointments, help with basic household chores or preparing a meal from scratch; our angels will help you remain independent at home.

If needing care and support does become a topic of the conversation and if you are unsure of the kind of care you or your next of kin need, here are a few ways we can support you at home:

• Companionship Care
• Personal Care
• Home Help Care including basic housekeeping or preparing meals from scratch
• Dementia Care
• Live in Care/24 Hour Care
• Hospital Discharge Care