Senior Summer Safety Guide

With summer around the corner and shelter-in-place restrictions starting to lift, it’s important for seniors to prioritize their health and safety as they venture outside the home more frequently. Healthy living isn’t just about diet and exercise, but keeping a safe home, maintaining a healthy mind and improving overall wellness. Andrew Droney, Senior Director of ADT Health, shares his top tips for seniors to stay safe as the weather heats up and they venture out more:

Stay Active, Safely!

Exercise is a great way to improve breathing, achieve better balance and lift your mood. That’s why it’s important to remain active while minimizing the possibility of injuring yourself or your family members. Before starting any physical activity, consult your physician to make sure it’s okay and take it slow and if possible, exercise with a partner for support and help should you need it.

Taking walks outside are great for keeping our bodies moving while following social distance guidelines. It doesn’t have to be far—even walking around the backyard or doing light aerobics in the privacy of your own home is an excellent way to safely remain active.

Stay Hydrated

Increased temperatures and humidity during the summer means our bodies are heating up as well. According to the American Heart Association, drinking water and staying hydrated are essential to keeping the heart healthy and the muscles working effectively. Dehydration can lead to physical ailments such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other serious physical ailments.

Tools to Avoid Falls

This might sound obvious, but it’s a serious concern. Every year, two million older Americans go to the emergency room due to fall-related injuries, according to the National Institute on Aging. Heat-related ailments like heat exhaustion and stroke can also lead to dizziness and lightheadedness. Prevention is key to reducing the chances of serious bodily trauma. Focus on exercises that build strength, improve balance and control muscles. Poor vision can also lead to accidents—remember to get your vision checked yearly and ensure you have access to up-to-date prescription lenses or contacts!

To provide additional peace of mind, consider ADT’s Health Medical Solutions, also known as Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS). The wearable medical alert system is a cost-effective way to maintain independence while staying safe and connected to caretakers and family members. It allows for two-way voice connectivity to ADT’s Health monitoring professionals and in the case of a fall, it even has the ability to send alerts if the user can’t push the button.

Know the Signs

Knowing the symptoms of heat overexposure ensures you can get help quickly if you’re affected. Below are signs that you may have heat exhaustion:

●     Heavy sweating

●     Faintness / Dizziness

●     Fatigue

●     Muscle Cramps

●     Nausea

●     Cool, moist skin when in the heat

●     Low blood pressure

Experience any of these during a hot day? Stop activity to rest, move to a cooler place and drink water. If your symptoms don’t improve, it’s time to call a doctor.

Whether you or your family members are spending time together indoors or outside, practicing safe social distancing measures, ADT keeps you secure without giving up your independence. For more information, check out our Senior Living Guide for resources on how to keep cool during the hottest months of the year.

Sources:

[1] https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/staying-hydrated-staying-healthy

[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-exhaustion/symptoms-causes/syc-20373250        

Related Articles

• Neighborhood Safety Tips for Parents
• Start a Neighborhood Watch Checklist
• Home Security Systems: What You Need to Know about Remote Monitoring