THE good old British weather is often a hot topic for conversation, presently relating to the long-awaited warm weather. However, as much as we do look forward to summer, as we get older the hot weather can be equally as challenging as the hardest of winters.

We can all experience discomfort in hot weather but as we age or develop chronic health conditions we need to be extra careful. With age we gradually lose the ability to regulate our body temperature, our heart rate doesn’t speed up or return to normal as fast and our older skin thins and offers less protection from the sun. Medications, poor circulation, high blood pressure and heart, lung and kidney diseases all increase the risk for heat related illness and affect our ability to manage hotter weather.

Keeping our body cool is essential in preventing dehydration or even heat stroke - a life-threatening condition which can develop if heat exhaustion or even sunburn is left untreated; wearing sunscreen is an absolute must, as is drinking plenty of water even if we don’t feel thirsty. Staying in the shade, wearing lighter clothing and keeping our head covered will also help with keeping cool and staying safe. Older eyes can take longer to adjust to rapid changes from light to dark so take extra care to reduce the risk of falling.

The common sense approach isn’t always easy to adhere to when we want to make the most of summer, but the alternatives are often unthinkable especially for older people. Please call 030 300 30003 for further advice to ensure that we, or our older friends, relatives or neighbours stay safe in the sun.