Aging Americans Face Wildfire, Heat Threat

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As Americans age rapidly, their risks from wildfires and heat are increasing. The chance of wildfires has also spread to the East Coast.

According to The Hill, Ian Neel, a geriatrician and an associate professor at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, commented, “But we’re also seeing increasing frequency of older adults, and older adults are one of the more at-risk populations for heat related injuries.”

Many of the injuries to older Americans are based directly on the weather, and this is particularly true for people who have fallen. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are often the triggers for falls. Some elderly people also have low incomes. As air conditioning costs rise with the number of days of extreme heat, bank accounts can shrink quickly.

Dementia

Another issue is dementia in older adults. Family and medical experts can “try to educate a patient with dementia on how to keep safe in the heat, but they’re not going to remember,” The Hill adds.

One solution to part of the problem is cooling centers where people can gather in air-conditioned places. However, cities may not be willing to build these or have the financial resources to do so. Over one billion people have been hit by sweltering weather this year.

Like many other climate change problems, protecting the elderly may be nearly impossible.