Last summer, we wondered if we were all experiencing the hottest summer on record. Well, as it turns out, we were. New research published in the journal Nature confirmed that in the Northern Hemisphere, the temperatures reached last summer were the highest experienced in 2000 years. Of course, record-keeping on temperatures did not begin that early in time. The way researchers were able to determine the length and breadth of this heat-breaking record was by examining tree rings, which is a reliable method for determining temperatures that many years ago. In fact, as one expert said, “It’s likely (2023 was) the warmest summer in 120,000 years, though we cannot be absolutely sure because data precise to a year doesn’t go back that far.” No matter whether the record broke 2000 or 120,000 years of rising heat, the bottom line was it was a very hot summer, imperiling the lives of millions of people in the US, especially older adults.

Hundreds if not more people die every year in the United States, due to heat-related illnesses. For many reasons, older adults are at heightened risk from the effects of extreme heat. Whether due to vulnerabilities from existing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease or to the use of prescription medications that can affect the body’s ability to handle heat, older adults may have a unique vulnerability to rising temperatures. Another new study published in Nature found that across the globe, with rising aging populations, millions of adults will be exposed to the intensity, duration, and frequency of heat waves that pose direct threats to their physical health and mortality risk. Moreover, around the world, older adults who are socially isolated, live in poverty, have physical or cognitive impairments, and have inadequate access to cooling mechanisms, are at extreme risk. The trend of growing aging populations and rising temperatures could spell disaster for seniors around the globe if action is not taken to intervene and protect them. For a good overview of the general impact of extreme heat on health, sip some water and click here.

What else will rise as the temperatures continue to go up and a growing aging population faces enormous risk? A recent NIH study published in the journal Circulation found that due to rising heat, deaths due to cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, could triple in the coming decades, with older Black adults at particular peril given such underlying diseases as diabetes and heart disease, which make it harder for the body to cool itself in extreme heat. Extreme heat can also wreak havoc with the body’s neurological system and brain health, according to a new study in Lancet Neurology. Extreme daytime heat and poor nighttime sleep due to high temperatures mean neurologic and psychiatric disorders may worsen and may lead to an individual’s inability to adapt behaviorally. Recent mouse studies have also suggested that stress due to extreme heat may damage such vital organs as the liver and gut, along with the brain, in older adults.

The situation has become so worrisome that the CDC and The National Weather Service have now created a new Heat Risk system to help you determine when and whether the heat in your geographic area is dangerous to your health.  It’s a free tool that uses a color-coded system to alert you to current or upcoming days when you’ll need to take special care to avoid the heat, gain access to a cooling station in your community, or remember to drink extra water to help stay hydrated. And there’s a specific link from the service that allows you to input your zip code to determine the precise risk for the coming days and weeks. To find out more about this CDC and National Weather Service tool, turn on your fan and click here.

We’ve previously offered an array of suggestions about how to stay cool in the heat. One new suggestion? Research recently presented at the American Physiological Association’s annual meeting suggests that spraying the skin with water can help reduce core temperatures in older adults when dealing with extreme heat. As older bodies have less ability to stay cool and sweat during exhaustive high temperatures, this sounds like an easy and accessible way to provide a bit of relief on a very hot summer day.