The arrival of summer brings with it more daylight hours and higher temperatures. This can encourage our elders to get out more outdoors, take walks, go on excursions, go to the pool or the beach. However, due to age and certain associated pathologies, older people may be more vulnerable to heat and regulate their body temperature less well.
For example, diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s have symptoms similar to those of heat stroke, so the person suffering from them confuses them or, as a result of their situation, cannot communicate that they are feeling unwell. In addition, the sensation of thirst decreases, they do not remember that they have to drink water or when they last did so. To all this is added that the heat can also imply drops in blood pressure.
When the heat hits, we keep in mind certain general recommendations that apply to all people, such as avoiding going out in the middle of the day, using sunscreen and drinking enough water. But in the case of the elderly, we must take all these precautions to avoid heat stroke and sunstroke. In this regard, below we have compiled the general hydration recommendations for the elderly from the Edad y Vida Foundation.
