Protecting seniors during extreme heat waves is critical, advocate says

Understanding the impact heat has on people of different ages could be the difference between “I’m uncomfortable in this heat” and fatal consequences, says a seniors advocate.

With record-breaking temperatures hovering due to the El Nino phenomenon, concerns are rising about the safety of the ageing population during heat events.

A report released this week in the journal Nature, said last year’s devastating heat wave in Europe resulted in more than 61,000 deaths with more than half of those deaths in people over the age of 80. In 2021, the British Columbia Coroners Service, reported nearly 600 people died due to extreme heat during the summer, and 91 per cent of those who died were 60 or older.

With Earth hitting its hottest days last week, and heat waves becoming more common in Canada, safeguarding seniors from the dangers of extreme weather is becoming a critical priority.

One way to do so is by doing wellness checks.

Isobel Mackenzie, a member of B.C Seniors Advocate group, told CTV’s Your Morning on Thursday it’s important to check on seniors during high temperature events and recognize signs of heat strokes.

“Like if somebody is not normally confused and they become confused, if they're lethargic, certainly if they're vomiting or exhibiting other signs and symptoms like that you need to actually get them to the hospital as quickly as possible,” she said.

Accessing cooling centres is another alternative, however, Mackenzie said this comes with some challenges for seniors.

First, there’s a lack of knowledge about these centres’ locations and hours since most seniors are not on social media, explained Mackenzie. Accessibility and transportation also play a key role.

“I think we need to remember that for many of us the ability to go down to the cooling centres, go to the mall, go to the swimming pool, it's all fairly accessible for us, but for older people, the mobility ability to get there is difficult,” she said.

Mackenzie said heat waves become more deadly when temperatures rise inside the house. For vulnerable people this could mean two things, they need to find somewhere to potentially stay while the peak of the heat recedes, or invest in a cooling system such as an air conditioner or heat pump.

Last month, the B.C. government announced it will provide $10 million to BC Hydro to expand its Energy Conservation Assistance Program to include free, publicly funded portable air conditioners for people who are medically vulnerable and have low incomes.

“We need to remember this is not going to be a solution for everyone everywhere,” Mackenzie said, adding some places don’t have the ability to install an air conditioner due to the window’s layout or the maintenance capacity.

Air conditioners could also increase the electricity bill.

To encourage people to time when their AC turns on, there are incentivised programs, such as Peak Perks in Ontario where residents get rewarded for saving energy and reducing their AC use on the hottest summer days in the province.

The federal government also suggests calculating how much your overall energy usage costs are before buying a new unit of any kind.