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This July has been the hottest on record for the many areas, and other places in various states have also had incessant days of more than 100 degrees. The recent break in the hot weather has been, for many in the state, quite a welcome relief. However for some older people, the heat is still going to be a threat. This summer, even with the slight cooling spell, Utah is still seeing record high temperatures.
When people age, they are not able to deal with the heat as much as when they were younger and this puts them at a higher risk to develop deadly heat stroke.
Kristin Johnson is the director at the Cache County Senior Center, and she says to go where there air conditioning available. A misting cooling system or a cooling misting fan is also a good way to stay cool while performing activities. The air conditioned senior center based in Logan has many free activities for senior citizens, such as Tai Chi, line dancing and pickle ball.
Johnson stated that, “There’s just a wide variety of activities to do inside that will keep them physically fit… and will be a cool place for them.”
She also said that it is a good idea for older people that cannot leave the house, to make sure they stay cool and have plenty of water to drink.
She thinks that seniors just need to drink more water and have plenty of water available. For those that don’t like to drink water they can put lemons in the water or use a flavored drink mix to keep them hydrated.
“Visiting Angels,” which is a senior care program that offers in-home care, suggests that people should make a safety kit for hot summer days that includes: a water bottle, a cooling misting fan or some kind of misting cooling system, and cell phone that is pre-paid.
