Heat fuels illnesses, especially for seniors: Ways to cool off and stay safe

Going on Monday to see his mother, who lives alone, the son saw something every relative dreads. The elderly woman was passed out on the floor. She had collapsed, it was determined, because of dehydration and had to be sent to the hospital, according to Laurie Fanelli of the Town’s Senior Center.

On the same day, in an almost identical situation, another Island senior who lives alone, Ms. Fanelli said, was found on the floor, suffering from the oppressive heat, and was revived. But later, a relative decided to seek medical treatment for her.

Ms. Fanelli has a message for all Island senior citizens: “If you’re not feeling cool, come here.”

The Center is a designated cooling center for the town and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — 38 North Ferry Road, 631-749-0291. 

In an emergency, the Center would be open after hours, but it has never been necessary after 4 p.m., said Police Chief Jim Read, who is the emergency management coordinator for the Town.

The National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory through Wednesday, with heat index values as high as 98 degrees. A Heat Advisory is issued, according to the NWS, with “the onset of extremely dangerous heat conditions … Take precautions to avoid heat illness. If you don’t take precautions, you may become seriously ill or even die.”

According to the National Institute of Aging, older people are more susceptible to becoming ill due to the heat than younger people. Symptoms of the illness are headache, confusion, dizziness, or nausea, and those experiencing these symptoms are urged to seek medical assistance.

In addition, the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention notes that for older people, certain medicines for chronic illnesses can affect a person’s ability to regulate body temperature.

Dehydration is a major cause of heat-related illnesses, and it is a subtle cause, since many people aren’t aware they’re dehydrated until it’s too late.

Human Rights Watch has gathered data on the seriousness of the illnesses, reporting that over the last two decades, “heat-related deaths for older persons in the U.S. almost doubled.”

The National Institute of Aging recommends that to combat “heat-related illnesses from becoming a dangerous heat stroke, remember to:

•Get out of the sun and into a cool, ideally air-conditioned place.

• Drink fluids but avoid alcohol and caffeine.

• Shower, bathe, or sponge off with cool water.

• Lie down and rest.”

Ms. Fanelli said that seniors shouldn’t be shy about coming to the Center to cool off. “We have activities and snacks” she said, and an always-warm welcome to a cool place.