How Weather Affects Dementia Patients
How Weather Affects Dementia Patients
Changes in weather can affect a person who has dementia. The elderly can be extremely vulnerable in extreme weather conditions. In an elderly person their brain function slows down, and their body finds it more difficult to regulate their body temperature.
How Hot Weather Can Affect a Person with Dementia
A person with dementia may not understand how to dress for weather changes. There are effects of hot weather on people with dementia that they may not understand. One is a homeostatic imbalance which can cause the person to have a cardiac arrest. Deaths of the elderly during heat waves have been caused by heart failure.
Dehydration can occur in dementia patients because they may not be able to recognize when they're thirsty. They don't remember they need to drink more fluids to prevent dehydration. If dehydration does occur, it can leave toxins in the bloodstream. This causes the kidneys and liver to work overtime. When these organs work overtime, it can cause the urinary tract to become exposed to infections.
Heatstroke can happen if the senior has problems with their circulation and takes medications. This combination can cause the person to not being able to sweat so the body can cool itself off. If the body can't cool itself, then heatstroke can occur.
Preventing Overexposure to Heat
To prevent overexposure to heat, prevention methods can help. The person needs to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Drinks with caffeine or sugar need to be avoided because these drinks are diuretics. Instead of hydrating, these drinks would cause the person to urinate more. Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated.
Proper ventilation is important to keep the person cool. Make sure the room is ventilated when using a fan warm and air that’s humid isn’t circulating. Air conditioners need to be checked to make sure they’re functioning properly.
Be sure to check on the person often to make sure they aren't showing any signs of heatstroke. The symptoms of heatstroke are nausea, headache, dizziness, or disorientation.
Putting a wet cloth on the back of a person’s neck will help to regulate body temperature. Also, a lukewarm shower or bath will help to lower body temperature.
How Cold Weather Affects a Person with Dementia
Cold weather can cause a person with dementia to become agitated, depressed, or distressed. If the person has sundowners, the new lack of sunlight can exacerbate it. Sundowning occurs at the end of the day and shows as anger, irradiation, and aggression when the sun starts to set. With the long nights of winter, the behavior of a person with sundowners can become more difficult to deal with.
A person with dementia can start to have sleep disturbances. Its because dementia interferes with the part of the brain which controls the internal body clock. When it starts to get dark early, it can cause confusion. The person may want to go to bed at 5 pm but then is awake during the middle of the night.
Because dementia can cause visuospatial problems, shadows and dim lights can cause more confusion and disorientation. A person with dementia may think they see a person or object which isn’t there. This can cause the person to become even more agitated.
Ways to Help Cope
A person with dementia should go outside, under supervision, whenever possible in the natural light. It will boost their mood and help reduce tension and stress. Plus, as the natural light fades, be sure the rooms in the house are brightly lit to control shadows and reflections.
Whatever room the person spends the most time in, keep it calm and relaxing during the late afternoon and into the early evening. Try to keep the evenings soothing and low key.
Being a caregiver to a loved one with dementia is a full-time job. If you need assistance, our qualified caregivers at Right at Home can lend you a hand. Call us today.
