AGE UK has alerted Brits to the serious toll the hot weather can have on elderly loved ones. A Yellow Heat-Health Alert is in place for most of England until Thursday, meaning a likely "increase in mortality across the population". The heat poses a risk to particularly vulnerable people, including young children and the elderly.
Age UK has urged people to look out for older friends, family and neighbours, especially those with heart conditions or breathing difficulties. The body is constantly working to keep its temperature within a normal range, which is harder when its scorching hot. In challenging weather, the body needs to expend additional energy to regulate its temperature and cool down which puts an extra load on the body generally, particularly the heart and lungs.
On top of this, there are risks such as dehydration and high pollen counts, which can aggravate the symptoms of those with long-term lung conditions such as asthma or COPD. Age UK says: “Some older people need to take care as temperatures rise, especially if they have long term health conditions impacting their heart or lungs. “Certainly, extreme heat can be really dangerous, as recent experience of a heatwave in Europe has shown.
“It can exacerbate certain medical problems and, more generally, our bodies find it harder to adapt to more extreme temperatures as we age.” Temperatures are predicted to hit 31C in parts of the UK this week. It’s what we’ve all been pining for, but too much sun can be.