#2 Elderly people are far more susceptible to heat-induced injuries than most other subgroups of the population -- infants are at similar risk. It is as if they can no longer recognize they're overheated. That combined with poorer circulation, for many reasons, brings them down when others are not affected.
I noticed this happening to my mother when she became elderly. She was not aware of hot conditions at times when I felt extremely uncomfortable, and this wasn't a matter of personal taste. She would become dizzy or weak, but never hot. She objected to decent airconditioning until I noticed that what she really didn't like was cold wind blowing on her. I persuaded her to wear a knit cap & light sweater when she was in a/c areas, suddenly we were both very happy with the same environment. I still had to watch her closely when she was outdoors in the summer.
Part of the problem is widespread borderline dehydration -- most people are mildly dehydrated most of the time. They don't feel this until they become ill in some other way, then they collapse. Another contributing factor is hats being out of fashion -- they really do help you keep cool in conditions like those that knocked down HW. I doubt he wore a decent broad-brimmed sun hat that day. |