by KYW's medical editor Dr. Brian McDonough
I usually talk about extreme heat and the elderly sometime in late July or August in the midst of a heat wave. Certainly this is crucial information that can save lives, but it makes a lot of sense. We need to talk about the importance of watching out for the elderly.
The first point is that it’s easier for the elderly to become dehydrated. There is not as much reserve for them. In addition, with dehydration there is a greater chance for confusion and a person can enter a cycle that can be difficult to break.
Yet another concern is medications. Certain medications like diuretics can increase the risk of dehydration and others can affect the way people think and affect logical thought processes. For senior citizens who live alone there can be a fixed budget which can also lead to unsafe temperature elevations - with no air conditioning or a fan in a hot apartment room, there can be serious problems within hours.
If you have an elderly relative or friend check out the situation now and try to anticipate issues.
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