Keeping residents safe during the heat

Why do residents need extra care in the summer?

As you’ll know from caring for them, that older people and those with heart or breathing problems, dementia, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease or mobility problems struggle more with the heat.

You may not be aware however, that people on certain medications such as diuretics (water tablets) and some antidepressants, or those who are already ill and dehydrated will be even more likely to get unwell in hot weather.

Here’s what you can do:

1.Make sure your team know the signs of heat stroke

·         Headaches	·         Dizziness	·         Nausea or vomiting
·        Fast breathing	·        Excessive sweating	·         Fast heart rate
·         Tiredness	·         Weakness	·         A high temperature
·  Being very thirsty	·        Cramps (in arms, legs and stomach)	·        Becoming pale/clammy or getting a heat rash

It may sound obvious but moving someone to a cool place, removing some clothing, giving them a drink and cooling their skin with a sponge or spray of water or applying ice packs wrapped in cloth – can go a long way to making them feel much better.

Given their job your team will know how very well how to make someone comfortable, but if your resident is still unwell after 30 minutes, has a high temperature or some more other symptoms such as

- hot skin that's not sweating and might look red (this can be harder to see on brown and black skin)

- a fast heartbeat

- fast breathing or shortness of breath

- confusion and lack of coordination

- a seizure or fit

- loss of consciousness

Call 999 for urgent medical help.

2. Look out for UKHSA Heat Health Alerts

 When unusually hot weather is forecast you will see something called a ‘heat health alert’ mentioned in the news and shared on social media. As part of the government that looks after people’s health, UKHSA shares a colour ‘alert’ to help explain how dangerous the heat is and how it may affect people, organisations and communities. It also shares an alert in cold weather.

You can sign up to receive these alerts directly here.   

There is also a helpful check list for care homes and adult social care settings here.

3. Remind staff how to care for residents in hot weather

There are a few very simple things you can do to keep your residents and staff safe when its very hot, many of these things you will do already.

• Prevent dehydration by making sure residents drink at mealtimes and throughout the day. You can also offer food which contain water like soup, ice cream or melon.
• Dress residents in light-coloured, loose clothing and wide brimmed hats. Try to keep them out of the sun between 11am and 3pm when the sun is hottest.
• Keep your residents and common rooms cooler during the hottest part of the day by closing windows and curtains especially if they face the sun, and then open them for ventilation in the morning and evenings.
• If residents are outside, make sure they are in the shade where possible and they wear at least factor 30 sunscreen, ideally applying 30 minutes before they to going out into the sun. You can also check online for the UV level across part of the UK.
• You may be serving more meals and snacks outside, so its important to  check staff are following the same good food hygiene practices that they do inside and are aware that food can spoil even more quickly in the heat. You can read more on food preparation during heatwaves here and more advice on food safety here.
• Air pollution can cause or make many disease worse. Vulnerable people such as your residents or staff with heart or lung conditions can have more symptoms than normal. If you are concerned you seek medical help.
• If residents are spending more time indoors due to the heat, it’s important to monitor the carbon monoxide levels. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Breathing it in can make you unwell, and it can kill if you're exposed to high levels. Advice on this can be found here.
• It is worth also being aware of ticks if staff or residents are spending time near long grass. Make sure your teams know what ticks look like, to wear long sleeves and cover legs in grass and that removing them can reduce the risk of diseases like lyme disease. You can find advice on how to remove ticks safe here.

 4. Enjoy the warmer months and opportunities to relax outdoors where you can!

More advice for care home managers staff, residents and their families Whilst gloves are great for preventing an infection they cannot replace good hand hygiene. Here are some resources regarding hand hygiene to help with training staff and speaking to visitors. As we move into summer the spring roll out of COVID-19 vaccines rolls to a close. Remember to ensure all your residents have been offered the COVID-19 vaccination prior to the end date of 17th June 2025. More information on staying safe in hot weather can be found here.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases, and environmental hazards, to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.

We provide scientific and operational leadership, working with local, national and international partners to protect the public’s health and build the nation’s health security capability.

UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

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