Summer is a fun time of year and perfect for spending time with friends and family, but a hot topic for The Kenwood this time of year is summer safety among seniors. We covered a few safety tips in a previous blog post, but here are a few more to keep you cool and healthy.
- When drinking fluids, avoid caffeine and alcohol. Hydration is important year-round, but more so in the summer when temperatures rise. Drinks like alcoholic beverages, soda, coffee and tea can dehydrate your body, so if you have the choice, opt for water.
- Wear light colored clothing. There’s a reason white is a popular color to wear during the summer. Lighter color clothes reflect the sun to keep you cooler. But, as we also mentioned in a past blog post, go for loose fitting clothes and lighter fabrics. Your body will thank you.
- Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion predates heat stroke and either can happen at any point. The Mayo Clinic notes that signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, rapid pulse, fatigue, low blood pressure when standing, muscle cramps, nausea, headache, faintness, dizziness, muscle cramps, weak, rapid pulse and cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in heat. If heat exhaustion turns into a heat stroke, signs noted by the Mayo Clinic include high body temperature, altered mental state or behavior, alteration in sweating, headache, racing heart rate, nausea, vomiting, flushed skin and rapid breathing. For either illness, take immediate action by calling or visiting your doctor.
- Visit places with air conditioning. This provides a great opportunity to hang out with family or friends catching a movie at the movie theatre, shopping at the mall or dropping by your local library. The Kenwood also offers plenty of events to keep cool with our own movie theatre, water aerobics classes and more.
How do you stay cool this summer? Share your tips with us in the comments below or on Facebook!