Summertime often means spending more time outdoors, but with that can come risk of the excessive summer heat. While there are easy precautions to take to avoid illness or health scares as a result of the heat, it can be extremely risky the older we get. Here are a few summer safety tips for seniors.
How to Stay Safe in the Heat
The easiest way to avoid heat-related illnesses during the summer is to stay indoors as often as possible when the temperature rises. However, it’s important and can be extremely beneficial to our mental and physical health to enjoy the outdoors whenever we get the chance. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe in the heat:
- Watch the Forecast
Try your best to plan your activities throughout the week based on the weather forecast. It’s usually the hottest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and can be helpful to plan any outdoor activities around these peak hours. - Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is crucial to our health, as it can help keep your joints strong, regulate your body temperature, prevent infections, and keep your body functioning regularly. While it’s important to stay hydrated at all times, it’s especially important when the temperature is high. If you’re spending a lot of time outdoors during the summer, it can be helpful for your hydration to also avoid alcoholic beverages, soda, coffee, tea and any foods that are high in sodium, as all of these can be dehydrating. - Protect Your Skin and Eyes
The older we get, the more susceptible our skin and eyes are to damage from the sun. Wearing a hat and sunscreen can help protect your skin from sun damage. Wearing sunglasses can help protect your eyes and vision from UV rays, which can cause damage leading to issues such as cataracts, pterygium, glaucoma or macular degeneration. - Be Aware of Medication Side Effects
Certain medications—especially topical medications—can increase sun sensitivity, making it even more important to apply SPF, covering up when leaving the house, and avoiding times in which the UV index is high. You’ll also want to be aware of any medications that may cause drowsiness, as the heat can only expedite your path to exhaustion. - Wear Light and Loose Fitted Clothing
Dark colored clothing can absorb and trap the sunlight more than others, which can lead to getting hot faster and making it harder to cool down. Same goes for tight clothing, as it often isn’t as breathable. Wearing light colored clothing and/or breathable fabric can help you stay cool and easier to drop your core temperature when you get hot.
Understand Your Medicare Coverage and Benefits with SelectQuote
An easy way to make sure you stay on top of your health in the summer is by making sure you understand your Medicare coverage and the benefits available to you. Navigating your healthcare and all of the support services available to you can seem complicated, but that’s why we’re here. At SelectQuote, we’ll help you understand your Medicare coverage and make sure you can access all of the benefits available to you.
