With a temperature of almost 40 degrees, a national heat plan is not superfluous. NH Nieuws visited ‘t Zonnehuis Bovenkerk in Amstelveen to see how things were going today.
“With the warm weather, we have to make sure we get enough fluids,” home cook Marc Goossens tells the residents, while he drives a cart full of delicacies inside. “That’s why we all made watery snacks.”
Everyone is grateful for the snacks. “Normally I’m already so hot, let alone now,” says resident Greet. “Just keep your head up and don’t hang around lame,” her neighbor advises. And she makes the gesture as if she’s having another drink.
“We adjust the activities”, activity supervisor Silvia van Overloop explains the heat plan of the care institution. “As few activities as possible. We give the people in the house fruit, drinks and ice cream. In small sizes,” she continues. The latter is important, because older people find it difficult to process large amounts of food and drink.
Washcloth
The residents are not going outside today and the awnings have been lowered early. Hot showers are avoided to prevent the body temperature from rising even more. The residents are preferably refreshed with a washcloth.
Not every resident is bothered by the heat. “Everybody have it’s hot, but me have it’s not hot at all”, resident Jan calls out. “Feel my head: as dry as grit!”
