It is probably the hottest day of the year. And the elderly can suffer from this even more than the average Drent. They run a greater risk of overheating or dehydration in heat. That is why they are extra alert to their residents at the Holdert residential center in Emmen.
“It can certainly be very dangerous,” says André Belt, project coordinator at Treant Zorggroep. “Especially for vulnerable elderly people with, for example, diabetes or heart failure. Also because they themselves do not always realize that things are not going well.”
Resident Lidie Zijlstra (75) agrees: “I think 30 degrees is really too hot. But that’s also because my heart suffers.”
A heat protocol is in force in the residential center. This means that there are fewer activities and more attention is paid to the residents. Belt: “It mainly concerns the amount of fluid they ingest. Mental well-being is also important. So we also look at how someone is doing and whether they are still active.”
Extra drinks and ice creams are handed out and anyone who is really in danger of getting overheated gets a cold foot bath. The residents are quite happy about it. Alie Koops (81) talks with a smile about her plan for the day: “Don’t do crazy things, drink a lot and lie in the chair. And that’s it!”
The complex where the elderly live has air conditioning only in some private rooms. There is none downstairs in the central hall. This morning the temperature rose quickly there. Belt: “When it’s cooler in the morning, we open the doors. Then the wind blows reasonably well. And then the curtains closed. It can still be maintained inside.”
After today, the temperature is expected to drop again, so the end is in sight. “We make the best of it and take it easy,” says Belt. “Then we can cool down a bit after today.”