I care for the elderly
Caring for the elderly on hot days is essential, as they are a vulnerable group. They are often less aware of their sense of thirst and tend to dress too warmly. If you are caring for an elderly person, there are several measures you can take to ensure their well-being.
- Regular monitoring by the attending physician is crucial. This allows timely intervention if health problems arise, as the health status of the elderly can deteriorate rapidly.
- Be alert to signs that an elder is not feeling well and call for help immediately if needed.
In addition, there are other practical tips you can apply:
- On hot days, visit the elder more often or call regularly to check how they are doing.
- Bring fruits and vegetables so the elder can eat light meals.
- Compile a list of contacts to consult in case of problems, such as neighbors, relatives, the family doctor, nurses, and so on.
- Check with the municipality for initiatives where you can volunteer to support the elderly, or where you can sign up an elderly person for help.
- Make sure someone else passes by if you are not available yourself.
- Write down important information about the elder and put it in a highly visible place or give it to a trusted person. This ensures that you are well prepared if sudden action needs to be taken.
- Make sure the elder has a phone with them at all times.
- Encourage the elderly person to drink plenty of fluids, even if he or she is not thirsty. Start taking extra fluids several days before hot days to build up a fluid reserve.
- Offer choices and variety of beverages, such as coffee, tea and sugary drinks, to encourage the elder to drink enough. When doing so, do keep in mind healthy dietary recommendations and give water preference.
- Make sure the elder's clothing is appropriate for the temperature. If necessary, buy new clothing more suitable for hot days.
- Create a cool bedroom and provide airy bedding. Change pillowcases and sheets regularly.
- Offer cooling, such as a squirt of water, a cool cloth, a shower or a foot bath.
- Keep a close eye on the elder's overall health status, including hydration, fatigue and blood pressure. These can change rapidly in older people, so watch for alarm signs.
- If heatstroke occurs, call 112 immediately.
- Make sure the home stays cool. Many seniors stay inside all day. If the home cannot be adequately cooled, consider taking the elder to a cooler place, such as the library, a service center or the park.
I take care of children
On hot days, babies and young children need extra care. They still have trouble regulating their body temperature and are more susceptible to dehydration. Children under 3 are not always able to express well what they need or when they feel uncomfortable. Therefore, they need more attention and care from their caregivers on hot days.
Here are some tips for taking care of children during hot days:
- Make sure the child drinks plenty of water. Do not wait until the child is thirsty, as thirst is a sign of dehydration. Give the child small amounts of water regularly, rather than large amounts all at once. Make sure the drink is not too cold to avoid stomach cramps.
- Breastfeeding mothers themselves should also drink extra and latch their babies on more often.
- Watch for signs of dehydration, such as fewer than four wet diapers in 24 hours, hollow eyes with dark circles around them, unusual skin color, extreme sleepiness or irritability, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and difficulty breathing. Consult a doctor if you notice these symptoms.
- Heat stroke can be dangerous. Call 112 immediately if necessary.
- Be sure to cool down, have plenty of drinks and rest if signs of dehydration appear.
- Keep the room the child stays in cool and avoid overexposure to the sun and heat.
- Offer quieter activities and save intense activities for cooler times of the day.
- Always use sunscreen, sun hat and/or umbrellas when letting a child play outside.
- Provide plenty of cooling off opportunities, such as water toys and kiddie pools.
- Adapt clothing and menu to warm weather conditions.
- NEVER leave a child in a car.
