Hot Weather for Old Folks

@kjoed53
KJoed, you are sharing with us a very real example of how dangerous this new reality of higher temperatures can be. And I don't see any indication that it's going to revert back to a cooler climate. Please look for every little way you can reduce your stress.
We must work together to find ways to cope and survive!
I'm trying to reset my inner clock to be in bed by 9 PM and up at 5 PM. And I'm trying to change my daily schedule to do any outside activities between 6 AM and 9 AM. (Morning news and coffee is one of my favorite habits...poor me.)
I've rehung our south window sun sail to block more of the sunlight and am testing adjustments of the a/c ducts for better distribution of cooling. The next step would be adding little vent fans to increase airflow to selected ares as we move around the house. We are fortunate to have a house with geothermal cooling, but in June the heat average (and our electric bill) were 30% higher than our usual bill. I'm concerned that our house insulation and the capacity of our cooling system are at their maximum. I don't know the cost of painting our roof white!

The heat from asphalt parking lots is horrible, and continues well into the evening. My usual errands are repetitive (food stores, library and hardware), so I'm studying the parking lots for the best ways to park and get into the store. Many big box stores have little used side parking areas which are close to the arcades in front of the stores.

Good luck, stay cool!

@edsutton
My PMR is worse in the morning so I try to get outside in the evening when the sun is not as strong as long as there's a breeze to keep the mosquitoes at bay. I qualify for handicap parking but the state or USPS lost my application so I'm having to reapply. I'll do the temporary one for now because it's quicker and every step saved on blacktop in this heat is appreciated.
P.S.-that first cup of coffee in the morning makes getting up early worthwhile

If you're ever feeling desperately hot, try putting a tee-shirt - preferably cotton - under the faucet. Wring it out, put it on, repeat as necessary. This will cool you off. It isn't something I'd want to do where I could be seen, and the objective is wet, not icy. It's a good idea to arrange a place to sit without dampness being a problem, like a thick towel over a garbage bag on a chair.

Mostly, though, during really hot weather I'll be sitting in front of a fan at home with a pan of water and a washcloth, smoothing water on my arms, legs and face, watching sooooo much TV.

Agreed that if possible, accomplish whatever needs to be accomplished in the early mornings, and adjust sleep hours to fit the temperatures. That's one advantage of being retired, being able to juggle time.

@Barbara1007 -- We're the same, B!

Walk in the house, watch / listen to a TV program or a YouTube stream, or listen to music, etc. Usually do 35 to 45 minutes... and the time flies by.

No need to drive (save gas), can do it at any time of the day (or night), maybe before I shower, in whatever clothes (including PJ's), have readily available water, drinks, etc.

My path flows through the Great Room, dining room, kitchen, eat-in kitchen, den, foyer, back hall, and one of the guest bedrooms... and then reverse back. The house has an open concept layout, and a little over 2000 sf. When the weather allows, can extend the walk by opening the sliders to the lanai, and walking around the pool.

All the best!

/LarryG

It is not the golden years. It is the gold plated years.

Supermarkets are usually chilly so you can do your daily walk up and down the isles with a basket on your arm and no one will notice. When you are finished, you can do it again and pick out the items you saw that you need.

Old age.

Here in NYC, the heat domes are increased by all the pavement and other heat-reflecting/ producing things like lots of cars ! I pick when to tun the AC and supplement with fans and iced tea….i prep for heat waves like I prep for snowstorms—get all the food etc. I’ll need for a few days and don’t go out except maybe early am or dusk…do my exercises at home. No problem.

@nycmusic
The heat has been bad in NJ but I can't imagine what it is like in the city. Most of our nights cool down by morning before it starts again. We've had some overnight lows in the 80's but thankfully only a few so far.

While many elders feel they can get along just using fans, that doesn’t work as well when temps hit 90s and above…..the reason we need AC then is to help keep the body temp at a safe level….don’t save $ at expense of health…think of AC in heat waves as a legitimate medical expense, which it is. By all means, hydrate more !! And stay inside during peak heat hours, 11 am -4pm. Stay cool!

This heat wave has been a lesson to do everything possible to reduce heat stress.
I'm adjusting to a 9pm - 5am sleep schedule, not perfectly, but enough to make a difference, and getting out for the morning walk before the heat rises. This made a difference in my energy and sense of well-being for the rest of the day.
I found I could tweak the a/c ducts to push a bit more air upstairs, evening out the temperature in the house.
Then over the weekend the heat spell broke and we are close to normal summer temperatures, which now feel graciously cool.
I've lived through temperatures like this when younger, but in my 70s this is a new experience, and I'm learning to take it seriously.
Please, everyone, take care.