Summer Safety Tips for Seniors

Summer Safety Tips for Seniors

Summer Safety Tips for Seniors
NDIS Provider
Home Care Package Provider

Summer is a great time to live in Australia, with plenty of public holidays, natural beauty and warm evenings for the whole family to enjoy.

But it can also be a high-risk time for the senior members of our community – especially on days when temperatures reach well above 30 degrees. People with reduced mobility, chronic medical problems (especially kidney conditions) or who live alone may be at risk of experiencing heat-related health complications over the summer months.

If you are a senior, or caring for a loved one who is elderly, here are some tips to ensure everyone has a safe and happy summer break.

Drink lots of water

It’s one of the most basic pieces of health advice for a reason: stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water – at least 6 to 8 glasses a day, even if you don’t feel thirsty or aren’t being active.

Drinking water throughout the day not only keeps your body temperature cool, but replenishes any fluid lost through sweating. If you don’t enjoy the taste of water, try adding some interest with a slice of lemon. A couple of cubes of frozen berries and mint leaves in a jug of water can also be a lovely treat in the warmer months.

Watch out for heat-related illnesses

As we grow older, our bodies don’t regulate temperature as efficiently as they used to. This means people aged 65 and over are at increased risk of heat-related illnesses, especially on extremely hot days.

One condition to watch out for is heat exhaustion, which occurs when the body is unable to cool itself. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

  • paleness and sweating
  • a rapid heart rate
  • muscle cramps (usually in the abdomen, arms or legs)
  • headaches
  • nausea and vomiting
  • dizziness or fainting

If you think you or a loved one is suffering from heat exhaustion, go to a cool area, rest, remove outer clothing, increase fluid intake, wet the skin with cool cloths and seek medical advice.

Know the warning signs for heat stroke

Heat stroke is a far more serious than heat exhaustion, and can be life-threatening if left untreated. The symptoms for heat stroke are slightly different from heat exhaustion. They include:

  • a rapid pulse and fast, shallow breathing
  • trouble speaking, slurred speech
  • problems concentrating or coordinating movements
  • dizziness, confusion, seizures or loss of consciousness
  • sudden rise in body temperature
  • hot and dry and possibly red skin, possibly with no sweat
  • dry, swollen tongue
  • headaches
  • nausea or vomiting

If you think someone is suffering from heatstroke, treat it as a medical emergency. Lower their body temperature any way you can and call triple zero (000) straight away. Do not give paracetamol or aspirin, as this may make things worse.

Avoid being outside during the hottest parts of the day

The hottest part of the day is usually between 11am and 3pm. To avoid heat exhaustion, plan your day so you are indoors during that time, and try to relax instead of being busy. If you want to leave the house, try visiting a place with air conditioning, such as a public shopping centre, the cinemas or the public library. If you must be outside, try to stay in the shade as much as possible.

Be sun-safe when you are outside

When you go outdoors, take steps to protect yourself from both the heat and the sun’s harmful UV rays. You can do this by:

  • using sunblock with at least SPF30+, even on cloudy days
  • wearing a wide-brimmed hat
  • carrying a light umbrella as portable shade
  • covering exposed skin with lightweight, loose clothing
  • staying under the shade as much as possible
  • wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes

Cool your home

Keep your house as cool as possible to prevent over-heating during summer. You can do this by opening security-screened windows at night to let in the breeze, avoiding using the oven, turning on the fans and drawing your curtains during the hottest part of the day so the sun doesn’t shine through your windows and heat the house up. Home Caring’s housekeeping services can help you keep on top of this; just chat to your carer about your needs.

It’s also worth using your air conditioner, if you have one, when temperatures soar. While it is tempting to keep the air-con off to save money, your health is much more important than your power bill!

Cool yourself

Make sure you dress appropriately for hot weather by sticking to light, loose fitting clothes in materials that can breathe (e.g. natural cotton) and avoidingcolours like black, which can absorb heat. If your loved one needs help doing this on a daily basis, our Elderly Care services can help.

If you start to feel the heat, an easy way to quickly cool down is to take a cool bath/shower, or place a damp, cold washcloth on the back of your neck or face.

Don’t overdo it

Now isn’t the time to tackle the gardening, clean out the garage or go for a bushwalk! During hot days, especially between 11-3pm, keep strenuous activity to a minimum, drink plenty of water and do something restful instead. While exercise is important, it’s best to leave physical activity to the cooler parts of the day, such as early in the morning.

Plan ahead

It’s worth thinking ahead when it comes to staying cool in summer. Stay in touch with the weather forecast through your TV, radio or a phone app and website like Weatherzone. If a heatwave or high temperatures are predicted, consider how you will keep your house cool, check your air conditioner is working, and reschedule any plans that are planned for outdoors. Make sure you have a back-up plan if there is a power failure. Is there someone you can call, a family member or friend you can visit, or a place you can escape to?

Eat cool foods instead of hot

It goes without saying that hot meals like roasts and pasta bakes will not only heat up your house when cooking, but heat up your body as well. Stick to healthy and easy-to-prepare cool foods such as fresh fruit, salad, sandwiches and wraps (and, of course, keep up those fluids!) Chat to your carer about how you can ensure these meals are ready when needed.

Check in on others

If you have a loved one, neighbour or friend who is elderly and living alone, take the time to check in on them and ensure they are coping well in the heat. If you are worried about how your loved one may fare at home on their own, now might be the time to consider home caring, which offers peace of mind over summer.

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The Albanese Labor Government has introduced a landmark Aged Care Bill, marking a once-in-a-generation reform to prioritise the rights, safety and dignity of older Australians. 

From 1 July 2025, the new Aged Care Act will bring significant changes, including:

-Tougher regulatory standards to ensure higher 
  accountability

-Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards for improved 
  care delivery

-A dedicated Statement of Rights for older Australians

-A $4.3 billion Support at Home program to help seniors live independently at home for longer

These reforms align with the Royal Commission’s recommendations, focusing on better complaint handling, greater participant choice, improved funding and enhanced fairness and quality across the sector.

If you’d like to learn more about how these changes impact you or your loved ones, Home Caring can guide you through the details. Please call us on 1300 875 377 for personalised support and assistance.

Read more 📱- health.gov.au/aged-care-act

#AgedCareReforms #SupportingOlderAustralians #australianhealthandagedcare #AHAC

The Albanese Labor Government has introduced a landmark Aged Care Bill, marking a once-in-a-generation reform to prioritise the rights, safety and dignity of older Australians.

From 1 July 2025, the new Aged Care Act will bring significant changes, including:

-Tougher regulatory standards to ensure higher
accountability

-Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards for improved
care delivery

-A dedicated Statement of Rights for older Australians

-A $4.3 billion Support at Home program to help seniors live independently at home for longer

These reforms align with the Royal Commission’s recommendations, focusing on better complaint handling, greater participant choice, improved funding and enhanced fairness and quality across the sector.

If you’d like to learn more about how these changes impact you or your loved ones, Home Caring can guide you through the details. Please call us on 1300 875 377 for personalised support and assistance.

Read more 📱- health.gov.au/aged-care-act

#AgedCareReforms #SupportingOlderAustralians #australianhealthandagedcare #AHAC
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The expo was an amazing opportunity for our teams to connect with the local community, meet new faces and raise awareness about the vital work we do. From sharing insights into our services to forming meaningful connections all of our Melbourne teams went above and beyond to make the event a resounding success. It’s clear that when you’re passionate about your work, it never feels like a job – and this passion was on full display throughout the weekend. A big thank you to everyone involved for representing Home Caring with such heart and dedication! 🩵

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The expo was an amazing opportunity for our teams to connect with the local community, meet new faces and raise awareness about the vital work we do. From sharing insights into our services to forming meaningful connections all of our Melbourne teams went above and beyond to make the event a resounding success. It’s clear that when you’re passionate about your work, it never feels like a job – and this passion was on full display throughout the weekend. A big thank you to everyone involved for representing Home Caring with such heart and dedication! 🩵
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Happy Friday HC fam!

It’s been a busy and productive week here at Home Caring with only forty days till the end of the year we are full steam ahead! One highlight was the team-building and networking session with our amazing Home Caring Bankstown team. The workshop was a huge success bringing everyone together to learn, grow and strengthen our skills.

These sessions are such a valuable part of what we do as they foster connection, build efficiency and empower us to deliver the best care to our clients. As we all know being a support worker can sometimes feel isolating but moments like these remind us of the incredible community we’re all a part of.

Let’s all carry that energy into the weekend—it’s going to be a hot one, so stay cool and take care! 🩵

Happy Friday HC fam!

It’s been a busy and productive week here at Home Caring with only forty days till the end of the year we are full steam ahead! One highlight was the team-building and networking session with our amazing Home Caring Bankstown team. The workshop was a huge success bringing everyone together to learn, grow and strengthen our skills.

These sessions are such a valuable part of what we do as they foster connection, build efficiency and empower us to deliver the best care to our clients. As we all know being a support worker can sometimes feel isolating but moments like these remind us of the incredible community we’re all a part of.

Let’s all carry that energy into the weekend—it’s going to be a hot one, so stay cool and take care! 🩵
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Happy Sunday HC fam! Recently our Home Caring Vermont team had the privilege of attending the 20th anniversary celebration of Hope City Mission, a vital organisation making a profound difference in our community. As proud sponsors we deeply admire their unwavering dedication to providing food relief, support and hope to those in need. Hope City Mission’s initiatives extend far and wide from their compassionate crisis support programs to sustainable efforts like planting seedlings, whose produce directly benefits people facing hardship. It’s a joy to stand beside them in their mission to uplift lives and foster resilience.

Our sponsorship reflects Home Caring’s core value of giving without expecting anything in return. We’re thrilled to have contributed to initiatives like installing a sprinkler system to nurture their community garden, where fresh produce is grown for those living in crisis. Supporting Hope City Mission means investing in kindness, growth and care and we couldn’t be prouder to play a part in their incredible journey. Here’s to creating positive change together! 🩵

#happysunday #welovewecare

Happy Sunday HC fam! Recently our Home Caring Vermont team had the privilege of attending the 20th anniversary celebration of Hope City Mission, a vital organisation making a profound difference in our community. As proud sponsors we deeply admire their unwavering dedication to providing food relief, support and hope to those in need. Hope City Mission’s initiatives extend far and wide from their compassionate crisis support programs to sustainable efforts like planting seedlings, whose produce directly benefits people facing hardship. It’s a joy to stand beside them in their mission to uplift lives and foster resilience.

Our sponsorship reflects Home Caring’s core value of giving without expecting anything in return. We’re thrilled to have contributed to initiatives like installing a sprinkler system to nurture their community garden, where fresh produce is grown for those living in crisis. Supporting Hope City Mission means investing in kindness, growth and care and we couldn’t be prouder to play a part in their incredible journey. Here’s to creating positive change together! 🩵

#happysunday #welovewecare
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