As temperatures in Pima County continue to rise, officials are raising alarm about the acute dangers the extreme heat poses to older adults. Mark Person, a program manager for the Community Mental Health and Addiction Division of the Pima County Health Department, highlighted the increased risk for severe illness or death that seniors face during such conditions. To directly address the needs of this vulnerable population, public health advisories stress precautionary measures to help ensure their safety.
Aging individuals are particularly susceptible to heat for a variety of reasons, including their reduced ability to adjust to sudden temperature shifts and the potential interference of common medications with their body's temperature regulation. According to Pima County Newsroom, Person detailed the key steps for assisting older residents: visiting in person, assessing the impact of high temperatures on their medication, and creating a support network to check in on those who live alone.
One often overlooked but critical aspect of heat safety is the deadly risk of leaving children, seniors, and pets in stationary vehicles during hot weather. A person issued a stark reminder: "Without assistance, they may not be alert enough to avoid the risk and once in danger they may lack the physical ability to escape an emergency situation on their own."
The immediacy of risk in extreme heat cannot be overstated; Person warned that older individuals on certain medications might rapidly overheat. These medications, listed by Pima County Newsroom, include antibiotics, antihistamines, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, among others. Furthermore, it's not just the medications but also their storage in high temperatures that could rapidly reduce their effectiveness.
In cases where individuals are rendered immobile due to the heat, the situation becomes even more perilous. "Once on the ground, the body temperature rises even faster as the person is essentially cooked by the heat from above and below," Person informed Pima County Newsroom.
