It's been hot, and it's about to get hotter. Temperatures could reach the mid-90s this weekend. The Council on Aging says now is a good time to check in on older friends, neighbors and relatives to see how they're handling the summer heat. Communications Director Paula Smith says this hot weather can present a whole new set of challenges for some people.
“We’ve had the high heat and the humidity coupled with severe storms, so we’ve had some power outage issues that we’ve had to deal with,” Smith says. “We’ve heard from seniors in those situations, they’re calling us because their power’s out or because they are concerned about their utility bills being really high if they use their air conditioning.”
Smith says the Council on Aging tries to connect seniors with help, like utility assistance, or by providing fans or AC units.
She says a quick visit or a phone call to an older person can help a lot.
“Make sure they’ve got the fans running, windows open. Maybe they can get to a library or another place that’s a cooling center. I know our community is really great about different places opening up their doors when it’s this hot so people can come in and get some relief.”
Smith says if someone needs a ride to a cool place, that's another way the Council on Aging can help.
She says it's important to stay hydrated, to stay cool, but... “Some people have to watch their fluid intakes because of their medication they’re on. So it might be a good time to touch base with doctors and make sure everything’s OK based on medication and what’s going on with the heat.”
Smith says easy ways to reduce exposure to hot temperatures include not cooking, not going outside during the hottest part of the day, and taking a bath or shower to cool off.
