AARP Provides Warning Signs of Heat Stress & Tips to Beat the Heat – Reminds People to Check on Elderly Family, Friends & Neighbors
BOISE, Idaho, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The first day of summer in Idaho finds temperatures on the rise across the state and while this marks the start of fun in the sun for many, for elderly residents, it means greater risk of heat stroke, heat exhaustion and even death. Today, AARP is reminding people to check in on elderly family members, friends, and neighbors during the summer heat and is releasing a list of warning signs for heat-related illnesses, along with some tips on how to avoid them.
"High summer temperatures can prove fatal to older Idahoans, but, in many cases, this can be prevented by simply knowing the facts about heat-related illnesses and checking in on older members of the community," said Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP in Idaho.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more people die each year from extreme heat exposure than deaths caused by floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined. The elderly are at much higher risk for heat stress because they do not easily adjust to sudden changes in temperature; are more likely to have a medical condition that changes body response to heat; and often take prescriptions that impair the body's ability to regulate its temperature, or that inhibit sweating.
Recognizing the warning signs of heat-related illnesses is critical to getting timely help. Some common warning signs of heat stroke include: extremely high body temperature, hot and dry skin, or a throbbing headache, while those suffering heat exhaustion may experience heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramping, dizziness or nausea. If you see any of these warning signs call for medical assistance, get the person to a shady area immediately and cool them off.
In addition to checking on older adults, AARP has several tips to help prevent heat-related emergencies:
- Drink plenty of cool, nonalcoholic beverages.
- Do not engage in strenuous activity.
- If possible, stay indoors during the hottest times of the day.
- If there is no air conditioning, stay on the lower-level of homes, also check for air-conditioned building in your community such as such as libraries, public buildings, or air-conditioned malls.
- Wear light-weight, loose fitting clothing and protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat and sunglasses or using an umbrella.
- If suffering from a chronic medical condition, talk with your doctor about additional precautions that should be taken to prevent heat related illness.
According to the CDC, air-conditioning is the number one protective factor against heat-related illness and death -- a recent AARP survey found that over 40% of Idahoans age 50 and older reported difficulty in paying their utility bills. In Idaho, AARP is working to ensure that utilities cannot be shut off during the height of summer heat due to a consumer's inability to pay soaring bills – Idaho has a similar policy in place for winter months.
Make a difference in your community: To get a free toolkit to better help you check in on the safety of elderly neighbors and relatives in the midst of high summertime temperatures, visit AARP's Create The Good program (http://createthegood.org).
AARP is Idaho's largest membership organization with over 180,000 members.
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SOURCE AARP Idaho
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