These include providing cooling centers and ensuring they are physically accessible to those with mobility challenges, and training first responders to be sensitive to the special needs of older adults who may be reluctant to leave their homes during a heat emergency.Ĭommunities also need to find effective ways to warn “snowbirds,” vacationers or recent migrants who come from cooler climates of the risks of extreme heat.
We found that populations in historically hot locations like Arizona and desert regions of California are aging at a rapid clip, placing demands on cities, counties and states to meet the pressing needs of older residents during heat waves. Our projections show that ever-rising numbers of older people are at risk of the harmful physical and mental health consequences of heat extremes. We used scenarios of future county-level population and climate model output from NASA to assess the consequences of moderate and dramatic warming. In Phoenix, the share of residents over age 65 is projected to rise from 10% of its 1.6 million residents today to roughly 17% by 2050.Īt the same time that these populations are rising, the number of days people will need air conditioning is rising, too. Seniors with physical disabilities, limited mobility or lack of access to transportation can’t easily travel to a public cooling center - if there is one nearby.Īdding to the problem, retirees are often drawn to the South’s sunny skies, low taxes and costs of living as well as amenities such as golf courses, beaches, healthcare facilities and residential communities tailored to their needs. Those with cognitive problems or dementia may not understand their health risks or may not take proper precautions. Having to stay indoors all day to keep cool and enduring the stress of heat emergencies can make older adults depressed and isolated. The state should make sure districts with the fewest resources get protections. Opinion Opinion: How California can keep kids cool amid extreme heatĬlimate change is causing dangerous heat during the school year.
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