People aged 65 and over

With increasing age, the body is less able to adapt to heat. The sensation of thirst decreases, as does sweat production. This increases the risk of overheating and lack of fluids.

With age, the likelihood of having to take medication also increases. Some medications put additional strain on the circulation or can exacerbate a lack of fluids.

Dehydration

You can recognise a lack of fluid by these signs:

• Thirst
• Dry mouth and mucous membranes
• Headache, dizziness, weakness
• Little urge to urinate
• Dark urine
• Confusion
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle cramps

Heat protection

In addition to our general tips, you can protect yourself from heat in this way:

• Drink regularly – even if you don’t feel thirsty: take a few sips every 30-60 minutes.
• Use a drinking reminder, such as a drinking app, alarm clock or voice assistant.
• Make the amount you drink visible, e.g. by setting yourself out a container with a certain capacity in the morning or keeping a tally of the glasses or cups you drink.
• Create variety: drink mineral water or diluted fruit juices.
• Cool down: a foot bath with water and a cool washcloth on the forehead, wrists or neck.
• Have your medication checked by your family doctor.
• Talk to your family doctor about a personal emergency plan: what symptoms are an alarm signal for me? Who do I call?
• Follow the instructions for storing your medication.
• Encourage relatives or neighbours: you can support them and ask them every day about how much they have had to drink.