Topic: heat-related illness
The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for much of western Washington beginning Friday afternoon (July 5) as temperatures should approach and even exceed 90 degrees over the weekend.
Summer is officially here. The weather forecast has us bracing for some hot weather. During the hottest months, dehydration is one of the most frequent diagnoses leading to hospitalization for older adults. According to the National Institutes on Health, “Older adults are particularly vulnerable to heat-related complications because of the declining ability of the body to thermo-regulate with age, as well as because of social/behavioral factors, such as increased likelihood of living alone, being homebound, or taking medications that interfere with fluid balance.”
Here are some tips to help stay cool and minimize risk of dehydration and heat-related illness. …
Weather alerts and advisories in other parts of the country should serve as a bellwether of what we can expect and should prepare for this summer. Higher than average temperatures have persisted in California, Oregon, and across the Southwest and Southeast. We’ve even experienced unusually hot days here in western Washington state.
Excessive heat and humidity can be dangerous for all of us. Older adults and individuals living with chronic health conditions are especially vulnerable and at a higher risk of developing heat-related illnesses. The effects of some medications can contribute to making it difficult to regulate body temperature or to sweat. …