Making the Transition to Assisted Living During the High Heat Days Ahead
Senior Housing in Hill COuntry Village TX: Making the Transition to Assisted Living During the High Heat Days Ahead
Summer is just about here and that means for anyone planning to help an aging parent or other elderly person move, whether it’s into a new apartment or assisted living, caution needs to be taken. As the temperature increases, it also elevates various health risks for those with compromised or weaker immune systems.
There are several things people should remember when an elderly parent, grandparent, or other person they know and care about is making this all important transition to assisted living during the heat of summer.
First, make sure there is adequate physical assistance.
This is referring to physical support from the staff at assisted living when this person finally walks through the doors, but help actually moving whatever needs to be moved. Some people have a tendency to hold off selling a house as that may offer some comfort to the senior, but they will likely be taking various personal items with them, which could include a bed, dresser, or other items of interest.
Whether these things require a van, pickup truck, or moving truck or can simply be fit into a small vehicle, it’s important to have adequate physical assistance to move them safely.
If an elderly person is attempting to move most of this by himself or herself, they can quickly become overheated and that can lead to a serious health risk.
Second, consider doing this in the early morning hours.
Check with the facility to find out when a person can begin moving in. Since the temperature is generally cooler first thing in the morning, the earlier the better. Avoiding direct sunlight, oppressive heat, and high humidity are all things that should be taken into account when making this transition.
Third, stay properly hydrated.
Even if this elderly person isn’t doing much of the heavy lifting, it’s essential that he or she stays properly hydrated, as everyone else should, too. Drink plenty of water and make sure nobody waits until they are extremely thirsty to do so. Once the body becomes dehydrated, it is more difficult to get re-hydrated without adequate rest.
Lastly, avoid going into and out of cold air conditioning.
It might feel great to step in from that high heat and humidity into cold air conditioned comfort, but that increases the risk of dehydration and getting sick. When the body constantly has to make adjustments, the cold air hits the sweating flesh, it can attack a weakened immune system, so when moving out, it may be best to turn the air conditioning off while going inside and outside repeatedly.
For more information about senior housing in Hill Country Village, TX, contact Pipestone Place Assisted Living or to take a tour, call today (210) 718-0211.
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