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Elder Care News and Information
Study Shows 20 Percent of Senior Citizens at Risk
for Heat-Related Illness
Company
offers tips for
keeping elderly safe from heat
July 13, 2006 - The results of a new study indicate
that 20 percent of seniors may be at risk of a heat-related illness
during the summer, due to the temperature in their residence exceeding
90 degrees. The data was obtained using QuietCare, an early detection
and warning system that the company says provides caregivers with around
the clock information and alerts about the safety and well-being of
elderly, while maintaining their privacy and independence.
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Each year in the U.S., exposure to excessive
natural heat results in hundreds of deaths, primarily among older
people, that are preventable. Heat waves, in particular, contribute to
the deaths of the elderly because an older person's body temperature may
rise when he or she is unable to rid the body of excess heat or when the
body produces too much heat.
Seniors have a harder time adjusting to higher
temperatures and humidity than younger individuals. Even temperatures in
the low 90s can be very dangerous for seniors. In addition, certain
medical conditions and medications can predispose seniors to heat
related illnesses.
In many instances, heat waves contribute to the
deaths of elderly people because their air conditioner has broken, or
because they simply don't have a source of cool air in their homes. Heat
related illnesses could cause permanent disability or death. Following
the proper precautionary measures, however, will help keep the elderly
out of harm's way, say most experts.
During December 2005 and May 2006, 100 elderly
users of the QuietCare system, in either private homes or assisted
living facilities (with individual room temperature controls) across the
U.S., were monitored. Over 40,000 temperature readings were taken with
readings four times a day.
The average senior citizen tended to keep his/her
residence warm all year round, with women keeping their residences .4
degrees warmer than men. In December 2005, the average temperatures of a
female and male residence were 74.8 degrees Fahrenheit and 74.4 degrees
Fahrenheit, respectively.
In May 2006, the average temperatures of a female
and male residence were 77.0 and 76.7 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively.
Approximately 20 percent of the seniors in the
study had incidences of household temperature 90 degrees and above
during the study period. Additionally, on average, the 6:00 a.m. reading
was found to be the coolest time while the 6:00 p.m. reading was found
to be the warmest time in the elder's home.
"In many older people, normal aging results in
their losing the sensation of thirst. This, combined with changes in
body temperature regulation, can result in dehydration leading to
confusion, falls and other preventable adverse events," said Dr. Robert
Roush, Director of the Texas Consortium Geriatric Education Center, and
a member of Living Independently Group's Medical Advisory Board.
"Thus, knowing the ambient temperature in an older
person's place of residence is very important, particularly in the
hotter months of the year."
"This study provides further evidence of the
imminent need to monitor residences of elders, especially as we approach
the hotter months," stated George Boyajian, Ph.D., Executive Vice
President, Strategy, Research & Development of Living Independently
Group.
"One of the most useful features of QuietCare is
that it enables family members to easily keep track of temperature
fluctuations in the elder's home.
"We also automatically send out an emergency alert
should the temperature become dangerously high, above 92 degrees.
Additionally, family members and caregivers can also keep track of their
loved one's activity levels from anywhere by computer, by simply going
to the QuietCare secure website and viewing easy-to-read reporting
screens."
According to Louise Taft, Program Director,
Telecare Services, Keystone Home Health and Hospice (Wyndmoor, PA), "In
the case of our elderly patient Mr. Joseph B., QuietCare sent us an
alert that his home was over 93 degrees, a danger point, and there was
another QuietCare alert that there was very little activity in the
house, suggesting that a serious problem might be developing.
"Each time I phoned him he said he was fine, but he
sounded disoriented and was unaware of the elevated heat, which I could
monitor on my computer screen thanks to QuietCare.
"We sent a nurse to check on him, who quickly sent
him to the hospital, thus averting a crisis and quite possibly saving
his life. Joseph was hydrated, his air conditioner problem was taken
care of, and he's safe and back at home."
Commenting on medications and certain housing
characteristics making seniors less adaptive to temperature changes, Ms.
Taft continued, "Persons with chronic diseases of the heart or lungs may
be more susceptible to the effects of high ambient temperature,
especially if they take certain medications such as diuretics, beta
blockers and tranquilizers, which may limit adaptive responses.
"Housing characteristics and behaviors specific to
the elderly, including living alone, living on higher floors of
apartment buildings, lacking air conditioning, and keeping windows and
doors closed for safety reasons, may also increase mortality from heat
exposure.
"QuietCare would be an invaluable tool for these
seniors to help caregivers ensure that the temperature in their room
does not reach extreme levels."
Top Ten Tips on Keeping Seniors Safe in Summer
Heat
From Living Independently Group
● Drink plenty of liquids -- eight or more
8-ounce glasses per day and or fruit juices -- every day to stay
hydrated.
● Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
● Dress appropriately. Wear loose-fitting clothes in natural fabrics
like cotton and dress in light colors that will reflect the sun and heat
instead of darker colors that will attract them.
● When outdoors, protect your skin from damage by wearing hats,
sunglasses and a sunscreen of 30 SPF or more.
● Stay indoors during extreme heat.
● If you do not have air conditioning in your apartment, go somewhere
that does. A movie theater, the mall, a friend or relative's home or a
community senior center are all good options.
● If you need to get out of the house and don't drive a car, call a
taxi, a friend or a transportation service. Do NOT wait outside for the
bus in extreme heat.
● If you are absolutely unable to leave the house and do not have air
conditioning, take a cool bath or shower to lower your body temperature
on extremely hot days.
● Temperatures inside the home should not exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit
for prolonged periods of time.
● Know the signs of heat stroke (e.g flushed face, high body
temperature, headache, nausea, rapid pulse, dizziness and confusion) and
take immediate action if you feel them coming on.
About the company and product:
These results were released today by Living
Independently Group, Inc., maker of QuietCare, which describes itself as
"a leading behavioral monitoring company dedicated to helping seniors
and other at-risk individuals live with greater safety and
independence."
Living Independently Group
Living Independently Group is dedicated to using
technology to help seniors and other at-risk individuals live with
greater safety and independence in their own communities. The Company's
current offering, QuietCare, is a 24/7 early detection and warning
system that enables caregivers to monitor a senior or patient remotely,
recognize potential health problems and intervene to prevent
emergencies.
QuietCare is described as the only system
currently available that enables caregivers to monitor the temperature
in residences of older people, while also recognizing emerging problems
including changes in behavior, such as low activity in the home, which
may be an early indicator that the senior is having difficulty coping
with the heat.
QuietCare is an early detection and early warning
system that provides caregivers with 24/7 information and alerts about
the safety and well-being of elderly or other at-risk individuals, while
maintaining their privacy and independence. This proven system uses
discreet wireless activity sensors that are positioned throughout a
person's residence to learn his/her normal pattern of daily living such
as meal preparation, interaction with medications and bathroom use, as
well as the person's morning wake-up time and overall activity. The
system remotely identifies potential medical emergencies, such as
possible bathroom falls, and automatically alerts caregivers to these
situations, thereby permitting them to provide early intervention.
QuietCare also provides alerts when the temperature in the person's
residence is dangerously high or low. QuietCare is currently used by
individuals in their homes, assisted and independent living communities
and homecare agencies.
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