Mecklenburg County released an extreme heat advisory through Friday. Older adults are among the most vulnerable to heat, with heat-related visits to county emergency departments being the highest among this age group.
There has only been one heat-related death among adults 65 and over in Mecklenburg since 2011, according to the North Carolina Division of Public Health. But the rate of heat-related visits to the county’s emergency department remains highest among older adults. That rate increased over the last six years.
Robyn Stone, who oversees research at LeadingAge recently wrote about climate change’s disproportionate impact on older adults in a new book, "Climate Justice and Public Health." Stone says that as we age, our bodies experience heat differently.
“If you are extremely overheated, you might not sweat, but you will become extremely cognitively impaired and lose your sense of consciousness,” Stone said.
She says older adults often encounter financial and information barriers to extreme weather resources. Cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s disease, may make communicating risks, warnings and offers of assistance difficult.
Mecklenburg has many programs that provide assistance during weather-related emergencies. The county offers free box fans to county residents ages 60 and up. During heat waves like this one, county senior centers act as cooling centers for anyone in the community. Energy bill assistance is also available through the county’s Crisis Intervention Program. The Charlotte Area Transit System will offer free rides to designated cooling centers during the heat advisory.
However, Stone argued that it’s not enough to provide relief during an emergency. Beyond heat waves, Stone looked at other weather-related events, such as hurricanes. In 2008, many older adults visited emergency departments in the weeks following Hurricane Sandy because access to services, such as prescription refills, was interrupted.
“It can’t be a plan just for the emergency,” Stone said. “It has to be a plan before, and there has to be a plan after.”
Stone also said there’s something anyone can do for older adults in their community.
“If you’re living in a community with older adults who are living alone, check on them. Make sure things are working,” Stone said.
