Reminder: Summer Heat Hard on Seniors

As the temperatures heat up the AARP is reminding folks that the summer heat can be serious for seniors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more people die each year from extreme heat exposure than deaths caused by floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined.   The elderly are at much higher risk for heat stress because they do not easily adjust to sudden changes in temperature; are more likely to have a medical condition that changes body response to heat; and often take prescriptions that impair the body's ability to regulate its temperature, or that inhibit sweating. AARP is reminding people to check in on elderly family members, friends, and neighbors during the summer heat and is releasing a list of warning signs for heat-related illnesses, along with some tips on how to avoid them. According to the CDC, air-conditioning is the number one protective factor against heat-related illness and death.