If you have elderly relatives then winter is a time of the year when you need to take extra care of them due to the various health and safety issues that can arise with cold weather. However, summer and the warm weather brings with it its own set of complications and it's still vitally important you keep your elderly love whens healthy during this time.
Here are some ways you can help…
Keep an eye on the weather
Obviously, the hot weather is the most important thing to address during the summer and can be just as dangerous as cold weather. You should keep an eye on the weather to see whether we're going to have any particularly hot weather and plan accordingly to make sure your elderly relatives have everything they need. If you know it's going to be hot then you could pop round and open some windows or even get them a fan to help keep them cool. The NHS has some general tips on how to prepare in case of a heat wave.
Run some errands for them
You may well do this anyway, but if it's really hot outside then you could run some errands for them to prevent them having to spend too long outside in the heat. If they do go out by themselves, try and make sure it's not between 12 and 3pm as this is the hottest part of the day. Granted, we don't live in the Mediterranean but it can still get pretty hot.
Take them on holiday
Just because they're elderly, it doesn't mean they couldn't do with a break, so you could consider taking them on holiday. If they don't get out much then this could be the perfect time to see somewhere new and just have a change of scenery. The physical and mental benefits of this could be massive.
Ensure they have everything they need
Again, if it's really hot then they shouldn't be outside for too long or they could suffer from heat exhaustion or similar condition. So, make sure they have enough food and that they have plenty of water at hand. If this is something that really concerns you and you worry that they could struggle to even get themselves some water to keep them hydrated, then it might be worth considering getting someone in to care for them or even a retirement home where there's 24/7 help.
Do they have the right clothing?
Everyone else wears looser clothing in the warm weather, so why should it be any different for elderly people? Make sure they have the right, loose fitting, light coloured clothing so they don't get too hot.
Do they need thinner bedding?
Again, this is to prevent them getting too hot. Check their bedding to see if they could do with a thinner duvet or they could get too warm during the night.
Planning is the key here. As long as you know what to look out for, everyone should stay fit and healthy over summer.
