Our relatives, both very young and old, can find themselves struggling with the weather more than most. It’s why we tend to keep our infant children inside on very hot days and make sure they’re very well-wrapped and warm in winter.
But elderly relatives can have a harder time of this process also, especially because it’s harder for their bodies to regulate their internal temperatures. While they may feel a little colder as they get older (and that’s why it’s healthy for elderly relatives to weigh just a touch more than they used to), they can be harmed by the intense summer heat just as much.
For this reason, protecting your elderly relatives from the intense heat of the summer can be nothing if not a reliable method of caring for them. This is especially true given how temperatures seem to be increasing more and more year on year.
Elderly family members require time and attention
Elderly family members often require a significant amount of time and attention. This could mean helping them with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and healthy habits. If they have medical conditions, managing medications, and doctor appointments becomes part of your routine. This can be time-consuming, especially if you’re balancing work and other family responsibilities. If you need help, you need to make sure that you ask for it. There are many websites out there that can help you connect with the right caregiver for your loved one’s needs too. Look up Care.com reviews if you want to explore that further.
With that in mind, please consider some of the following insight to help them in this approach:
Auto-Adjusting HVAC
With an appropriate HVAC system and a thermostat that keeps the rate of cool air set throughout the day can be a great help. This is because such an effort will not only ensure the heat is properly countered throughout the day, but that you don’t have to set one temperature throughout all time, meaning a strangely windy and chilly evening won’t cause your elderly relatives to feel colder in their home than they need to be. Moreover, gentle adjustments can help prevent the shock of different environments.
Insulate Well
While insulation may seem like an investment you make when you hope to stay warm, it can also keep hot heat out. Luckily, this doesn’t have the effect of a Dutch oven, baking you inside of the home. Using helpful insulation companies can help you identify the scope and necessity of adequate insulation and what adjustments you need to make. It will also mean that insulation is applied properly, without impeding ventilation and the cycling of fresh air. This balance will keep a home pleasant to occupy no matter the weather.
Fix Shaded Areas
You cant expect your elderly relatives to stay locked inside their houses forever, especially on a nice sunny day, but you can make sure they have nice areas of shade outside where they can sit comfortably and relax as part of their daily habits, without being in direct sunlight view. That might mean installing a nice awning, a porch, a seating area with extended decks and shade, or even well-installed parasols that can withstand wind. It’s important that these measures don’t preclude the careful and comforting management of the property, because the last thing your elderly relative needs is expensive or effort-filled upkeep for daring to enjoy their garden. Shaded and comforted seating areas can provide a nice middle ground.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily protect elderly relatives from the heat of summer. Perhaps over time this can provide a more comfortable and relaxing living situation for them.
