WDTN-TV: Checking on seniors in the summer

It’s always a good idea to keep tabs on our loved ones, but it’s especially important to make sure seniors are cared for during the dog days of summer.

Michael Manes, CEO of Right at Home* Dayton, spoke with WDTN-TV offering tips to help families keep their elderly loved ones safe this season.

“Any senior with any type of memory issues, dementia or anything like that, you have to take precautions and do some very basic things to make sure they don’t succumb to heat exhaustion or worse,” Manes told WDTN-TV.

Some basic tips include checking the environment in which seniors are living. Manes explained that some seniors like to keep the temperature of their house warm, so it’s important to keep an eye on seniors’ living conditions and that air conditioning units are functioning properly. Also, it’s important to keep medications out of direct sunlight.

“Some dementia medications may be sensitive to the sun,” Manes said.

“Also, a senior can also get dehydrated quicker than you or I. You have to keep an eye out for that. A lot of seniors like to drink coffee which may dehydrate them, so try to limit them to one cup of coffee and have them drink plenty of water.”