Drink up during heatwaves, seniors
Elderly people with mobility problems should not restrict their fluids during heatwaves in order to reduce trips to the bathroom. Dr Richard Kidd, president of the Australian Medical Association Queensland, believes everyone – especially those in high-risk groups, should avoid excess physical activity during hot weather.
Elderly people with mobility problems should not restrict their fluids during heatwaves in order to reduce trips to the bathroom.
Dr Richard Kidd, president of the Australian Medical Association Queensland, believes everyone – especially those in high-risk groups, should avoid excess physical activity during hot weather.
According to Dr Kidd, those among the greatest danger are the elderly and people with chronic conditions.
“In the first place, if your body is able to respond appropriately, you start to sweat a lot so if you don’t keep the fluids up, it’s very easy to then dehydrate,” he told ABC News, adding as “a person continues to get hotter, they will breathe a lot faster, and more and more blood will be pushed out to the skin”.
“But at some point, you divert important blood flow away from really important organs like the brain and stomach, the lungs and kidneys… and when those organs aren’t getting enough blood they then start to get really stressed – and that’s when the person will start slipping into heatstroke,” he explains.
According to Dr Kidd, for the elderly, it is the inability to sweat properly that reportedly increases their vulnerability.
Dr Kidd’s advice to older Australians this summer is drink a lot of fluids, stay indoors in air-conditioning or with the windows open, and keep to the lower story of your home as heat rises.
