Elderly Home Care Services in Oklahoma City Keep Seniors Safe in Summer
After a long winter it feels good to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Like many of us, elderly adults are often anxious to head outdoors and enjoy warmer weather activities. However, as the summer months heat up, seniors are at a higher risk for overheating and dehydration. With the help of loved ones and neighbors, seniors can safely enjoy the benefits of warmer weather. Elderly home care services, like the care offered by Visiting Angels® Oklahoma City, can help your loved one enjoy summer while keeping them safe.
Things Visiting Angels Oklahoma City Can Look Out For
Seniors often have a higher risk of overheating due to medications, dehydration, or trouble recognizing when their body temperature is on the rise. As an experienced provider of elderly home care services, Visiting Angels Oklahoma City suggests being on the lookout for the following:
- Keep an eye on the temperature in your loved one's home and automobiles they ride in
- Know the signs of dehydration such as excessive sweating, dizziness, nausea, and confusion
- Heat exhaustion can lead to more serious illness and causes symptoms such as rapid pulse and fainting
- Heat stroke is serious and causes an extreme rise in body temperature leading to disability and death
How You Can Help
There are ways you can help elderly loved ones and neighbors beat the summer heat. Check in with them regularly and assist in the following ways:
- Remind your loved one to drink plenty of fluids daily, by the time signs of dehydration show up, you are already at a deficit
- Encourage your elderly family member to exercise indoors such as walking at an indoor track or shopping center
- Make it a point to do outdoor activities such as gardening during the cooler parts of the day and avoid noon sun
- Check your loved one's air conditioning and make sure they have it turned on and set to a cooling temperature
- Look at your family member's medications and make note if they cause increased sensitivity to the sun or decreased sweating
- Consider hiring an elderly companion to check on your loved one regularly or spend time with them during the summer
Call Visiting Angels Oklahoma City today to ask about our elderly home care services and how they can help your loved one remain safe and comfortable during the summer months and beyond.