Top Summer Health Tips for Elderly People to Beat the Heat

Save the elderly people from adverse effects of summer heat in simple ways. Take them for a walk in the malls where it is cool or go swimming with them, suggest experts.

Mukesh Mehra, Senior Consultant at Department of Internal Medicine, Max Hospital, and Angeli Misra, co-founder at Lifeline Laboratory, have listed a few ways to take care of senior citizens:

Summer Safety Tips for Elderly
Brace yourself for this summer. Summer in India is scary; the elderly especially are more prone to heat-related illnesses. A few tips can prevent the adversities due to high temperatures.

‘ Summer health tips for seniors
Keep hydrated; Drink plenty of fluids
Stay indoors in cooled spaces
Avoid dark colors because they absorb the sun's rays ’

Tweet it Now

Try to plan activities that require going outside during non-peak hours when it might be a little cooler. Consider exercising at a gym, walking on a treadmill or mall walking instead of outdoor walks or activities. Swimming is a good option as well.

Drink plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic and caffeine-free as these ingredients have a diuretic effect). Talk to your doctor if you take medications such as Lasix and other diuretics that affect fluid intake. Additionally, it may be important to consume food and drinks with sodium and potassium to restore electrolyte balance when losing fluids. Also, drink a lot of water. Broths or soups contain sodium, fruit juice, soft fruits, vegetables containing potassium, sports drinks that contain electrolytes, are some options.

Stay indoors in cooled spaces as much as possible. Check the air conditioning system, do maintenance review. If electricity goes out, consider alternative arrangements when heat is at dangerous levels.

Summer Health Hazards
The ever-increasing summer temperatures across the globe, intense heat waves and higher mercury levels can cause serious health hazards for the general population.

Be aware of signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The most common signs of dehydration in the elderly are thirst, confusion, irritability and poor skin elasticity.

Keeping hydrated on a regular basis is the most important preventative measure, and individuals should be encourages to drink fluids even when not thirsty as thirst may not be triggered until already dehydrated.

Water - Nutrient that Beats the Heat | Summer Nutrient-Water
Dehydration, acidity, loss of energy are common problems that often occur due to insufficient water consumption, especially in summer.

Make them wear a wide-brimmed hat if you will be out in the sun.

Dress appropriately. Avoid dark colours because they absorb the sun's rays.

Summer Foods: What to Eat and What Not to Eat
Summer diet should include plenty of seasonal raw vegetables and fruits to provide us with energy, essential vitamins and minerals. The high water content in the raw foods prevents dehydration in our body.

Keep a check on their diet as it should be well-balanced, light and regular.

Never leave them in an enclosed vehicle.

Keep curtains closed during the heat of the day.

Source-IANS