Do You Have Someone to Check on Your Aging Parents When Heatwaves Hit?

When a heatwave hits, who is checking on your aging parents? Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration are risks people face when the weather really heats up.

Home Health Care in Montauk NY: Heat Stroke Care

Hotter temperatures also affect seniors differently. Chronic health conditions can impact the body’s response to extreme heat. It can make it harder for their bodies to regulate a proper inner core temperature. Prescription medications can also impact regular responses to heat, such as sweating in order to cool the body through evaporation.

When your parent is impacted by heat, it’s important to take corrective measures. If you only check in on your parent every few days or once a week, it may not be enough. You need someone checking on your parent multiple times a day when there’s a heatwave.

Signs of Heat Stroke, Dehydration, and Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a condition where the body starts to overheat. Symptoms include a rapid pulse, sweating, lightheadedness, muscle cramps, nausea, and fatigue. It’s important to get out of the sun, take a cool shower, drink some water, and lay down and rest in order to get the temperature back down. This condition can develop into heat stroke if corrective actions are not taken.

Heat stroke is an advanced stage of heat exhaustion. In addition to the symptoms of heat exhaustion, the body’s core temperature reaches 104 degrees F or higher. Confusion, irritability, agitation, and even speech difficulties occur. A headache may develop. The skin will look red and flushed. If your parent has heat stroke, it’s essential for your parent to call paramedics.

While waiting on paramedics, you should get your mom or dad inside, get them into a cool shower or wet their clothes to help them cool down. Cool wet towels on the back of the neck and forehead can also help.

Dehydration is a problem when your parent isn’t drinking enough water. Symptoms of dehydration include feeling very thirsty, having a dry mouth. A headache, dark yellow urine, and lightheadedness are also symptoms. If your parent is dehydrated, get a glass of water and call your parent’s doctor.

Mild cases of dehydration may not need medical attention. If there is a fever, weakness, and vomiting, medical care is often advised.

Make Sure Someone is Checking on Your Parents

It’s important that your parent has someone checking in routinely when it’s hot outside. If they have air conditioning, they need to stay inside and use it. If they don’t, they need to sit in a pool, take a cool shower, or sit in a cool tub of water to keep the body temperature down. Most seniors don’t think they’re overheating until the condition is worsening.

With a caregiver available, your parents have someone keeping an eye on them. Senior care services make sure your parent is taking it easy, staying in a cool room, and drinking plenty of water. Call a senior care agency to arrange check-ins when it’s hot.

If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Health Care in Montauk, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at 631-685-5001.