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PLANNING FOR LATER LIFE 063
hot up! M
ost of us look forward to the warmer weather and, now you’re retired there is plenty of time and lots of opportunities
for getting out in the sun. But it’s important to be prepared for the hot weather as high temperatures and humidity can present a risk to health, and older people can be particularly susceptible to heat-related illness. We are never sure what the unpredictable British weather may throw at us but here are a few helpful tips on how to protect yourself and keep cool when things hot up.
Keep out of the heat
• Don’t spend long periods sitting or working outside during the hottest time of day – late morning to mid-afternoon.
• If you do go out, wear a hat and stay in the shade as much as possible, and remember to apply and reapply sun cream regularly. • If you’re travelling by car or public transport always take a bottle of water. • Avoid strenuous activity, and limit activities like housework and gardening to the early morning or evening when it’s cooler. • When inside, try to stay in the coolest parts of your home. Keep curtains and blinds closed in the rooms that catch the sun. • Wear loose, lightweight, light-coloured, cotton clothing. When it comes to footwear, sandals that fasten with Velcro are a good idea if your feet swell up in the heat. Avoid fl ip-fl ops as these can be hard to walk in. • Keep hydrated. Make sure you drink plenty of fl uids – 6-8 glasses of water or fruit juice a day – even if you aren’t thirsty. Water is best – try to limit drinks with caffeine in them, such as tea, coffee or cola – and always keep a bottle handy when you’re outdoors. Avoid alcohol as it can make dehydration worse. • Eat normally – even if you aren’t hungry as
Sunny side up
Although it’s important to protect your skin, some direct exposure to the sun is essential for the production of vitamin D, which helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Getting the balance right for enough
sun exposure to trigger vitamin D production
The Big Bake Off at Bridge Haven care home
Staff and residents at Bridge Haven care home, situated in the picturesque village of Bridge near Canterbury, invited families and friends to their annual Bake Off. The home, which specialises in
dementia care through residential care, day care and respite care, has held a bake off event every year for the last four years and they have always proved to be a popular event – and this year was no exception, with the theme being cheesecakes. The Bake Off judging took place within the home’s beautiful landscaped gardens with 11 cheesecakes in the running for top prize. Judges with the unenviable task of picking a winner were
the landlords from the three local village pubs – The Plough and Harrow, The White Horse Inn and The Red Lion. After some careful sampling of all 11 cheesecakes, the landlords declared Caroline Holt the winner, making it her second win at the Bake Off. And once judging was over, everyone was able to sample the cheesecakes for themselves and decide on their favourite throughout the afternoon, which also saw plenty of music and entertainment.
Keeping cool when things
If the great British summer excels itself, follow our tips for keeping cool and staying safe in the sun, plus care home hosts bake off
you need a normal diet to replace salt losses from sweating. In addition, try to have more cold foods, particularly salads and fruit, as they contain a lot of water. • Be careful when eating, especially outside. Hot weather causes bacteria to multiply quickly and increases the risk of food poisoning. When shopping, bring chilled food home quickly and put it straight in the fridge.
without causing skin damage and increasing your risk of skin cancer is important. • Don’t let your skin burn, but try to go outside once or twice every day without sunscreen for short periods from March to October. • If you are going outside for some time, use sun cream of at least sun protection factor (SPF) 15 with four or fi ve stars. Apply it generously and top up at least every two hours or straight after you’ve been in water. • You also need to protect your eyes from the sun. Wear sunglasses that have a CE mark, UV400 label or a statement that they offer 100% UV (ultraviolet) protection. • If you have moles or brown patches on your skin, they usually remain harmless. But if they bleed or change size, shape or colour, consult your GP. • Visit
www.nhs.uk/livewell/summerhealth/ pages/
heatwave.aspx or
www.ageuk.org.uk
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