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For Immediate Release
July 25, 2006
Contact: Erin Weller
212-308-1414 ext. 29
eweller@americangeriatrics.org
Though last week's scorching weather has moderated somewhat, much of the US will continue to see temperatures in the 90s this week - temperatures that can cause life-threatening health problems in older adults.
An estimated 200 Americans - most of them 50 or older -- die of heat related health problems yearly.
"Due to physiological changes that occur with aging, older adults can't cool down as well as younger people, and they're less likely to feel hot or thirsty, even when they're becoming dangerously overheated or dehydrated," says Meghan Gerety, MD, chair of the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA), and Chief of Staff of the New Mexico VA Health Care System in Albuquerque.
To help older adults stay safe in the heat, the FHA has released a comprehensive and easy-to-understand tip sheet, "Hot Weather Safety Tips for Older Adults."
The tip sheet, at www.healthinaging.org/public_education/hot_weather_tips.php, explains what older adults and the people who care for them should, and shouldn't do, to prevent heat related health problems. (Among other things, older adults shouldn't rely on fans for cooling when temperatures reach the 90s -- only air conditioners can lower temperatures sufficiently when the mercury is that high.) In addition, the tip sheet explains how to recognize and treat problems such as dehydration, heat syncope, heat exhaustion and heat stroke in older people.
ABOUT THE AGS
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (www.americangeriatrics.org) is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. The Society supports this mission through activities in clinical practice, professional and public education, research, and public policy. With an active membership of over 6,500 health care professionals, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes, policies, and practices in geriatric medicine.
ABOUT THE FHA
In 1999, the American Geriatrics Society reached beyond its traditional role as a professional medical society and launched the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). The FHA aims to build a bridge between geriatrics health care professionals and the public, and advocate on behalf of older adults and their special needs: wellness and preventive care, self-responsibility and independence, and connections to family and community. The FHA champions initiatives in public education, clinical research, and public policy that:
- Advance the principles and practice of geriatrics medicine;
- Educate policy makers and the public on the health care needs and concerns of older adults;
- Support aging research that reduces disability and frailty, and improves quality of life and health outcomes;
- Encourage older adults to be effective advocates for their own health care;
- Help family members and caregivers take better care of their older loved ones and themselves.
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