How to Help Your Loved Ones Stay Cool This Summer
Summer is approaching which means we are due for hotter temperatures during the day. For many, this is cause for celebration, as it is a chance for us to finally get outside and enjoy the outdoors. However, it is important to provide our elderly loved one’s with the comfort they’ll need as the days get hotter and hotter.
Finding a reliable assisted senior living community in Northern VA is important so that your loved ones can get the resources and care they need, while maintaining their independence, during this upcoming summer season. Our professionally trained team at Tysons Woods are experienced in helping our patients remain comfortable, relaxed, and at their best throughout the year.
Here are just a few ways how you can help your loved ones stay cool this Summer:
Why Seniors Need to Stay Cool
According to the CDC, senior citizens are more likely to suffer from heat strokes due to the following reasons:
- Their bodies are less-equipped to deal with sudden differences in temperatures.
- Chronic medical issues can affect the body’s response to heat.
- Prescription medications can affect how the body regulates heat & sweat.
Thus, our senior citizens should be taken care of with special attention during these upcoming few months, as their underlying conditions cause them to be susceptible to further health issues if they spend too much time under intense heat.
This is why we’ll provide our suggestions below, to ensure they remain comfortable and healthy, and so you can enjoy spending time with them throughout the summer.
Stay Indoors
Due to the increase in outdoor temperatures, which are often severe in Virginia during the summer months, you’ll want to limit the amount of time your elder is exposed to the sun. Keeping our loved ones indoors where it’s nice and air conditioned will help them regulate their internal temperatures far more efficiently.
We are by no means advocating for them to stay inside all day long. A bit of sunlight in moderation is fine, but make sure to avoid direct sunlight for several continuous hours.
This can be done by installing an awning, pergola, or parasol in your backyard to provide a large amount of shade for you and your loved one to comfortably spend time beneath while outside.
Lighter Clothing
Wearing clothing that’s lighter in both color and fabric material is another effective way for anyone to keep cool during the hot summer months.
Lighter colors absorb less heat when exposed to the sun, while lighter fabrics are less restrictive and densely stitched, resulting in the sensation that seems to allow clothing to ‘breath’ even during the most humid days.
Oftentimes, when we see caretakers transition seniors from the indoors to outdoors, we see the seniors wearing thick, layered clothing, which was meant to keep them warm while they were indoors.
By simply, changing our loved ones into a lighter colored garment and a lighter fabric material –to allow more breathability and attract less heat–can significantly reduce their chances of overheating.
Cool Baths & Showers
After coming inside from the hot outdoors, it’s a good idea to cool down with a nice cool bath or shower. It will quickly reduce the elder’s body temperature, which will decrease the likelihood of them receiving symptoms of heat stroke or hyperthermia.
A nice cool shower or bath also allows them to cleanse their pores of sweat and outdoor contaminates.
Stay Hydrated
It’s vital for our elderly loved ones to stay hydrated during hot weather. They should never get too thirsty before drinking water but rather stay on a consistent intake of water throughout the day.
Additionally, if they are taking a particular medication that can affect how much they’ll need to hydrate, consult with their primary doctor and make sure they drink the proper amount of water every day.
Tysons Woods: A Reliable Assisted Senior Living Community in Northern VA
If you are looking for an assisted senior living community in Northern VA that will take care of each one of your loved one’s needs, get in touch with Tysons Woods Assisted Living today. We provide our patients with access to several highly-trained caregivers and extensive resources that ensure your loved one receives the full range of comfort and healthcare they deserve. We don’t have cookie-cutter portfolios for every patient. We treat each patient as their own independent individual and curate care programs that suit them.
Make sure that your loved one is in good hands with our team today! Contact us at (703) 846-0395 to learn more about our senior living community in Northern VA.
