Knee deep into the dog days of summer, most of us continue to face ongoing levels of record heat. Though we previously noted that 2023 was the hottest year on record, it looks like we’re on track for 2024 to outpace 2023, with an estimated 61% chance of surpassing the previous record for hot weather. And it’s not just in the United States. All over the world heat records are breaking, and as rising trends overlap with an aging global population, a perfect storm of vulnerability and heightened risk is created for older adults who are more susceptible than younger people to health hazards resulting from extreme heat. Estimates are that around the world, by 2050, more than 250 million older adults will be exposed to extremely high temperatures, especially in low and middle-income countries that lack sufficient cooling and resources to accommodate their aging populations. Whether from the specific consequences of heat (such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke) or the exacerbation of chronic disease due to heat (whether it be cardiovascular or kidney disease) or even from the effects of heat on medications or sleep, all older adults face enormous risk if they are unable to keep cool and protected from summer heat waves. For a video outlining the range of heat-related illnesses, turn on your fan and click here.

First, consider medications and heat. Many of the most common medications taken by older adults can affect your body’s ability to regulate temperature and keep you cool. Some meds inhibit your body’s ability to sweat (the way your body naturally cools itself), some meds can make you urinate more, putting you at risk for dehydration, especially with heat exposure, and some meds may allow your body temperature to rise above normal levels. Whether you take meds to lower your blood pressure, deal with your allergies, or help with depression or other psychiatric illnesses, whatever medicines you take should be reviewed with your physician to determine whether you are at heightened risk for danger from heat exposure (don’t discontinue a medication without discussing it with your doctor). For more on the dangers of mixing medications and heat, pour yourself a glass of water and click here.

Your brain functioning is also imperiled by high heat. Research has shown that high levels of heat can make you more impulsive and aggressive and may exacerbate existing neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. In fact, there is research showing that cognitive performance can begin to decline when the temperatures climb higher than 79 degrees Fahrenheit. High heat levels can trigger neuroinflammation which can damage brain tissue. A study from Australia even documented a rise in hospitalization levels and post-hospital deaths among people with Alzheimer’s during extensive heat waves. It’s also been documented that hot weather can increase your odds of a stroke, another cause of neurologic damage and dementia. According to a recent study in JAMA Network Open, the risk for stroke can be twice as high when temperatures are at 92 degrees Fahrenheit as compared to 54 degrees Fahrenheit. While it’s not clear why that happens, there is a hypothesis that dehydration from heat exposure can make blood thicker and more viscous, thereby more prone to clotting and causing stroke. 

And of course, it’s not only heat but other natural weather disasters can put older adults at risk. For example, loss of power due to overloaded electric grids (whether from heat, storms, or fires), can lead to real emergencies, especially if you or a loved one depend on electricity to power life-saving medical devices, to keep medications cool or to keep the air conditioning or fans running. It’s clear that as temperatures rise, communities will need to do more to ensure that older residents are safe and protected, including having cooling centers to turn to, arranging for transportation for those who cannot move out of harm’s way, and alerting friends and neighbors to be on the lookout for those older adults at special risk. So, whether it’s the heat, or other tumultuous weather causing storms, fires, or flooding, you must keep front of mind that you and your loved ones need to prepare and plan, especially given the serious health risks that the weather poses these days. For some planning tips and strategies, pull out your suitcase and look here.