Weather reports are telling us to prepare for a mini-heatwave next week with highs of up to 29°C on Thursday! Temperatures over 30°C trigger a health alert in the UK. People who use care and support services can be particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and dehydration, including:
- Elderly people, especially those over 75 years of age
- Young children
- People with mobility problems
- People with diabetes, heart or respiratory conditions
- People who may not be able to take appropriate action to cool themselves down, for example people with dementia
- People on certain medications that affect the body’s temperature regulation
Here are our top tips for keeping cool and staying safe in unusually hot weather:
- Stay in the coolest parts of the building.
Keep curtains on windows closed while the temperature outside is hotter than inside- Wear thin, loose clothing.
- Drink more fluids, but avoid tea, coffee and alcohol. We recommend cold foods such as salad and fruit, which have high water content.
- Take a cold shower or bath or spray yourself with a cool water mist.
What to do for somebody who is suffering in the heat:
- Check on vulnerable people you know perhaps twice a day, especially if they live alone. Ensure they are drinking enough and are keeping cool.
- Signs a person is too hot include headaches, breathlessness, dizziness, drowsiness or confusion, chest pains or cramps that don’t go away.
- Take action to cool the person down, for example with cold, wet flannels and/or move them somewhere cooler, and ensure they drink plenty of water.
- Do not give them aspirin or paracetamol
- If symptoms persist for more than 1 hour seek medical help.
For more detailed help for managing a health or care environment during particularly hot weather, consider taking a look at this document from the Met Office: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/429627/Heatwave-Advice_for_Health_Professionals.pdf
