Looking at the weather across Australia today and tomorrow, it is a good time to be reminded of hot weather safety tips for vulnerable people.
Where possible do indoor low strain activities. Some venues are air-conditioned but will be crowded.
Have a plan in place for power outages. Make sure your phone is charged. In a pinch you can use a car to charge a phone if your home loses power.
Drink plenty of cool water. That goes for providers too. We get so focused on care that we sometimes forget to care for ourselves.
Some of the people we care for can’t communicate that they are thirsty or hot. Keep an eye out for warning signs like dry lips/licking lips, pink cheeks, sweating, fatigue and confusion. Make sure they are dressed appropriately. If they aren’t big drinkers but can chew, have chilled fruit available like seedless watermelon, mandarines or oranges for them to consume.
If you do not have access to air-conditioning you can drape a damp face washer or tea towel over a fan to create evaporative cooling. As it is Christmas time you can also use silver reflective wrapping paper on your windows to reflect light and heat.
Most of all don’t hesitate to call for help if you need it. Heat stroke is a serious condition for vulnerable people. If someone is suffering heat stroke remember to give them cool tap water not chilled or ice water to bring their temperature down safely and wipe their skin with a wet face washer while waiting for assistance to arrive.
If you are in a fire risk area make sure you have a fire plan that you know well.
Stay cool everyone.