What Can You Do to Prevent Heat Stroke in Your Senior

If your elderly family member overheats too much, she can develop heat stroke. This condition can lead to severe damage throughout your senior’s body if she isn’t able to cool down as quickly as possible. Here are some ways to reduce your senior's risk of heat stroke, and how senior care can help.

Check with Her Doctor about Risk Factors

It’s important to talk to your senior’s doctor about her risk factors for heat stroke. Specific medications, like blood pressure medications, can have a much higher impact on her susceptibility to heat stroke. Other variables, like eating a low-sodium diet, can also be important. Make sure that you know what to do if your senior does start to show signs of overheating or of heat stroke.

Become Familiar with the Signs of Heat Stroke

Heat stroke occurs after your elderly family member has already started to feel overheated. Her body temperature continues to rise and she may stop sweating. Her body isn’t able to cool itself down and she may develop a fever, have a headache, and complain of dizziness or nausea. If your elderly family member is experiencing heat stroke, get emergency help right away.

Encourage Your Senior to Dress Appropriately

During hotter weather, your senior needs to make sure that she’s dressing for comfort. Lightweight clothing is best, and if it’s made from natural fabrics that are breathable, that’s even better. Clothing that’s loose also helps, because that allows air to circulate close to your senior’s skin, helping her to stay cool.

Increase Your Senior’s Water Intake

Water intake is always something that you and your senior need to focus on, but it’s never more important than during hot weather. Sipping water regularly throughout the day is much more important than guzzling glasses of water haphazardly. By staying hydrated instead of chasing hydration all day, your elderly family member’s body is going to be better able to keep her temperature regulated.

Help Your Senior to Stay Cool at Home