Coping with extreme heat

Dorothy House have been supporting our community at the end of lives for more than 50 years.  Between them our CEO, Wayne and Marika, Care Services Deputy Chief Operating Officer have many more years of experience in delivering care.

 

 

Their top three tips for caring for someone in the heat are:

• Drink or offer plenty of liquids: hydration is vital
• Keep cool: don’t cover people with thick bedding and consider cool damp flannels to help manage temperature
• Watch out for confusion: both dehydration and, depending on your medication, deterioration in renal function can cause gaps in memory and seeing things which are not there

If the person you’re caring for is struggling in the heat, reach out for the help you need. Along with confusion there might be other signs that someone needs additional support or is reaching the very end of their life.

Coping with extreme heat – what to look out for

Breathing changes (including noisy breathing, skin and extremity changes, drop in blood pressure, urine/bowel changes and unresponsiveness should all be acted upon as quickly as possible.

If in doubt, call your GP, BSW Community Services or, if the person is at the end of their life, the Dorothy House 24hr Advice Line:0345 0130 555

As we know all too well, it is even tougher than usual to keep delivering care when you’re impacted by the heat yourself.  Perhaps even more important than everything above is to take care of yourself, so that you can continue to care for others.

How you can help those in your community

At this moment, our teams are out in the community doing everything we can to continue supporting people through this heatwave, but you can also help. This is a time when we can all look out for each other, particularly for those at the end of life. If you are able, perhaps consider checking in on a neighbour, making a phone call, or offering a small act of kindness to someone who may be struggling.

If you are able to, please make a donation today to help us continue to be there for those who need us right now. Your support will ensure our nurses and care teams can keep providing vital care in homes and at the Hospice, no matter the conditions.