Download HEAT STRESS AND THE ELDERLY

Fact sheet 14b
HEAT STRESS AND THE ELDERLY
People aged 65 years and over may have an increased risk of heat related illnesses and need
special care on hot days, especially during periods of prolonged hot weather.
Dehydration among elderly people is a very common condition that is potentially fatal.
Dehydration is avoidable and reversible if treated promptly.
In residential aged care facilities, dehydration is a significant cause of illness and death. Nearly
all residents consume less than the recommended daily intake of fluids. 34% of residents
admitted to hospital are dehydrated. The mortality rate of dehydrated and hospitalised residents
is 45%.
(JE Ibrahim, Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University. June 2008)
Top tips to avoid dehydration in hot weather:
1:
Drink a glass of water every hour (10 to 12 glasses per day).
2:
Limit activity and rest under shade or indoors.
3:
Limit tea, coffee, and alcohol.
Symptoms of dehydration and heat related illness:
•
Hot and dry skin, paleness
•
Nausea and vomiting
•
Rapid heart rate
•
Muscle cramps
•
Confusion, fainting, loss of consciousness
Symptoms of heat stroke:
•
Very high body temperature
•
Red, hot and dry skin
•
Dry swollen tongue
•
Rapid pulse
•
Shallow, rapid breathing
•
Throbbing headache
•
Nausea
•
Confusion or ‘strange behaviour’
•
Loss of consciousness
If a patient has any of these symptoms it may be heat stroke.
Heat Stroke is a medical emergency – if someone you are with develops heat stroke call
000 for an ambulance.
Treatment
Help the elderly patient to a cool area and lay them down, remove outer clothing, increase fluid
intake with cool water or other non-alcoholic drinks, sponge with cool moist clothes and fan
continuously. If the person does not feel better, is confused or disoriented, call triple 000 for an
ambulance.
Risk Factors
Factors that increase the risk of dehydration and heat stress in elderly people:
Self care arrangements may reduce an elderly person’s ability to adequately care for
themselves, especially in hot weather. Elderly people may be frail and have reduced mobility,
which makes it more difficult for them to drink enough water in hot weather.
Living alone means there is no one to intervene if the elderly person is unaware of the need to
drink water and unaware of the warning signs of dehydration.
Chronic medical conditions in elderly people usually require regular medication. Some
medications may affect fluid retention and reduce the body’s ability to regulate temperature,
increasing the effects of heat stress.
Physical changes in the body may hinder elderly people from coping with heat events as
efficiently as younger people. For example, elderly people’s skin produces less sweat to cool the
body. Elderly people with incontinence may reduce their fluid intake to prevent episodes of
incontinence, increasing their risk of dehydration.
Medications and hot weather
•
Antihistamines and antidepressants reduce the skin’s ability to sweat
•
Heart tablets reduce the ability of the heart and lungs to adapt to stresses including hot
weather
•
Amphetamines raise body temperature
•
Fluid tablets encourage fluid loss, which may lead to dehydration in hot weather
•
Pain management opioids and sedatives can reduce the person’s awareness of
physical discomfort, which means symptoms of heat stress may be ignored.
Self help suggestions – Preparing for hot weather
•
Check weather reports. Take preventative measures when temperatures are predicted to
be over 30 °C
•
Drink a glass of water every hour
•
Sponge yourself with water and sit in front of an electric fan
•
Check the colour of your urine – dark yellow or brown suggests dehydration.
How to help an elderly friend or relative in hot weather
Check on them at least twice a day. Look for signs of dehydration and heat stress. Help them to
cool down or take them to an air-conditioned environment such as the local library or shopping
centre.
REGISTER with the Australian Early Warning Network to receive FREE early warnings
of severe weather events, including heatwaves, at www.ewn.com.au
Acknowledgement: This factsheet includes information sourced from ‘Better Health’, Victorian Department
of Health 2009.
This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust.