Stay Safe This Summer!
How to navigate Florida’s storm and heat dangers with confidence
Dear Caregivers,
It’s Memorial Day, the unofficial kick-off day for summer (in astronomical terms, the first day of summer is June 21st). For many people around the country, this means heading to the beach, firing up barbeque grills, and having picnics. Here in Florida, where the weather is balmy much of the year, the transition is not so abrupt.
But there is something that you should absolutely begin doing around this time of year: Preparing for the dangers of Florida’s summer weather. That means big storms and hurricanes. As the Essential Guide to Hurricane Preparedness from StateofFlorida.com puts it, “hurricane season begins on June 1st and lasts 5 months, with storms typically peaking in August and September…knowing the essentials of how to prepare could truly be a life saver.”
Being prepared is a critical part of being a caregiver, for reasons that go beyond the critical need to protect yourself and your loved one. A caregiver who feels prepared is also a caregiver who is calmer, able to respond more deliberately, and most of all, a caregiver who has the self-confidence that they can handle a particular situation as it arises.
It is this continual state of having confidence that is so important, because it affects everything else in your mind, from your levels of stress, to your sleep, to your anxiety. The important result is that even though you may never need to act in response to a hurricane this summer — and I sincerely hope you don’t! — the fact that you're prepared, just in case, will build a confidence that will benefit your state of mind and overall health every day.
Here are some resources for staying safe this summer:
— Florida Department of Elder Affair's Disaster Resource Guide for Older Adults.
Get Ready with Hurricane Preparedness:
The months of June, July and August mean months of heat, humidity — and hurricanes! — and present potential risks. But as your mother always said, “An ounce of prevention…” Here’s how to get ready.
Staying Safe in the Sunshine:
When you live in a place as beautiful as Florida, being outdoors is appealing. It is the Sunshine state after all. But as usual, too much of a good thing can be bad for us. And the sun is no exception. The risk of developing skin cancer is directly related to sun exposure over the years. Here’s how to protect yourself and your loved one.
Beating the Heat:
As summer temperatures climb into the 90s, older people are in danger of conditions caused by extreme heat, such as dehydration and hyperthermia, which can lead to heat exhaustion and its most serious form, heat stroke. Here are some tips for staying cool.
Remember, if you can’t find the information you need on our website, you can always “Ask NAN” by clicking on this link.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
“If you have no confidence in yourself, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started”
— Cicero
