Take care of yourself in the summerWhen summer arrives in the UK it can sometimes bring with it an extra level of concern for those who are in care or are vulnerable and adds an extra consideration for our brilliant team of carers.
Our team pay particular attention to the sudden onset of hay fever symptoms, rising temperatures and heat stroke and the supply of suitable food to help their clients.
We’ve rounded up the top 5 things to consider for our clients during the warmer months. Take a look and see if these could be useful to you if you look after anyone who might need help.
Keep an eye on the temperature
We always suggest that the ideal temperature inside a residential house should be between 18-21 degrees Celsius. The NHS advises the same.
Consider the nest way to keep things cool. A carefully placed electric fan is a great start or go for gold with a portable air conditioning unit. Try to create natural breezes where you can.
Don’t try to cool the whole house, instead, aim for the areas that are used the most for maximum benefit.
Think about the food & drink (and when you serve it)
It’s time to stock up on nutritious food and drink that are best served cool or cold. Think about delicious salads, cold meats, yoghurts, eggs and maybe even cheeky ice cream.
The hottest period of the day is often between 11 am & 3 pm so it can help to offer some flexibility on what time to eat and what meal to have and provide plenty of snacks to compensate.
Cold drinks are a saviour on hot days and every house should have a steady supply of ice cubes, jugs of chilled water (with lemon for a fresh taste if you’re feeling fancy) and invest in some straws if sensitive teeth are an issue!
Get some shade
Try to create shade where you can but don’t go crazy and create pitch black rooms. Avoid using metal blinds if you can as they get hot and can become hard to manage. An ideal choice is light coloured curtains, that still allow light to come through or perhaps with a heat reflective lining (great for keeping the heat in during the winter too). We already mentioned ventilation, the cool breeze of curtains flowing can be a godsend!
Don’t forget to keep personally cool
When it gets a little too much and you’re feeling hot & sticky try running a cool bath or shower and follow that up with a treat like low-fat ice cream or an ice lolly to bring those temperatures down internally. You can make these in the freezer too using your favourite client drinks and can be a nice activity to do together.
Think about the clothing
Often forgotten; what they wear can have a big impact and once chosen, can have an impact as the day’s heat increases.
Encourage loose, light coloured clothing with layers that can be removed if necessary. Breathable fabrics and light cotton are great choices.
And finally, always use a sun hat when going outside to give that extra level of protection and don’t forget the sun cream. A nice refreshing light spray version is the best for hot weather.
How can Carefour help?
Carefour creates care plans around each of our client’s specific needs and requirements and no matter how small the details, we take them into account.
When the summer weather hits, we take great care to ensure our clients are comfortable and prepped and our carers are refreshed on techniques to help them keep cool.
We can do this for both our live-in care clients or Homecare customers if that’s required, along with any other adjustments they might want
Carefour provides Homecare and 24hour Live-in Care across the Midlands and Oxfordshire and so please get in touch if you or a loved one requires care at home.
