Search Weight Loss Topics:




Aug 2

Senior sun safety requires extra vigilance – The Daily Courier

How to lose weight safely Comments Off on Senior sun safety requires extra vigilance – The Daily Courier

Senior citizens have a lower tolerance for heat, so they should take more care to avoid heat-related illnesses. (Metro Creative Graphics Inc.)

As a child, you may have spent numerous hours outdoors during the summer. Now that youre an adult, you may find the summer months to be far less enjoyable because of the heat. This is normal, according to Monica Durocher, RN, CRRN at Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital.

As you age, the bodys mechanisms that help regulate internal temperature become less efficient Durocher explains. This means that you lose some of your ability to adapt to heat, leaving you with a lower tolerance and making you more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.

Durocher says that this is caused by a few different reasons one being that an adult older than 65 doesnt sweat as much as a younger individual. Sweating helps to cool the body. Also, an older adult may be more likely to have a chronic condition or be on medication that affects the bodys ability to respond to heat.

Called hyperthermia, heat-related illnesses can include heat exhaustion, cramps, fatigue, and stroke (also called sun stroke). Symptoms can include a flushed face, high body temperature, headache, nausea, rapid pulse, dizziness, or lack of sweating.

Hyperthermia is caused as blood rushes to the skins surface as the body tries to cool itself, Durocher says. As a result, less blood reaches the brain, muscles, and other organs, which can interfere with muscle strength and mental capacity. In severe cases, this can be dangerous.

According to the National Institute on Aging, if someone is suspected of suffering from a heat-related illness, you should:

Get the person out of the heat and into a shady, air-conditioned, or other cool place. Urge him or her to lie down.

If the person can swallow safely, offer fluids such as water, fruit or vegetable juices. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Encourage the individual to shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water

Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits, and/or groin area. These are places where blood passes close to the surface of the skin, and the cold cloths can help cool the blood.

Call 911 if you suspect heat stroke.

The best defense with a heat-related illness, however, is to prevent it from ever occurring. The best way to enjoy a warm day is to arm yourself with some heat-related knowledge and take sensible precautions, Durocher says. To enjoy a warmer day safely, she suggests:

Stay hydrated. Drink water often, even if you dont feel thirsty.

Check your medicines. Some may make you more sensitive to the sun. Ask your doctor.

Wear sunscreen. Apply before you head outside, and reapply often.

Wear proper clothing. Wear light-weight, breathable clothing, long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat.

Wear sunglasses. Look for those that protect from UVB and UVA rays.

Go indoors. Mid-day sun is the hottest. Plan indoor activities for those times. Stay in air-conditioned areas when its hot outside.

Take cool showers or baths to cool down.

Information provided by Mountain Valley Regional Rehabilitation Hospital.

See the article here:
Senior sun safety requires extra vigilance - The Daily Courier

Related Posts

    Your Full Name

    Your Email

    Your Phone Number

    Select your age (30+ only)

    Select Your US State

    Program Choice

    Confirm over 30 years old

    Yes

    Confirm that you resident in USA

    Yes

    This is a Serious Inquiry

    Yes

    Message:



    matomo tracker