The heat is on… but is the power out?

This summer has seen record-breaking heat waves across the U.S. and Europe, and it has felt like our own North Texas area has been at the center of it all.

Though extreme heat is uncomfortable for everyone, for our older loved ones it can be life-threatening. As we age, our bodies lose the ability to adjust to extreme changes in temperature, and older folks are more likely to have chronic conditions that affect the body's response to heat and to be taking prescription medications that limit the ability to perspire or otherwise control core temperature. 

Even if you know that your older loved ones live safely and comfortably in well-insulated and air-conditioned homes, have you considered what might happen during a brownout, rolling blackout or full, neighborhood-wide power outage? As the temperature rises in that comfortable home, your older loved one may lose the use of powered medical devices, refrigerated medicines and even communication devices like computers that require internet service or mobile phones that require charged batteries.

To help you prepare for such possibilities — and ONCOR has been warning us about them for most of the summer — we've provided a set of links below with important information that family caregivers can use before, during and after heat-related emergencies.

The first two links are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute on Aging, and they offer a wealth of information on specific heat-related risks faced by older adults, and ways of lowering those risks. The third link (also from the CDC) provides a downloadable PDF document with symptom lists and emergency assistance suggestions for heat-related conditions like heat stroke and heat exhaustion. We strongly recommend that you download and print this document and keep it on hand for emergencies.

The fourth link is another downloadable PDF document that we hope you will print and keep on hand. It's from FEMA, and it provides a detailed breakdown of steps you can take before, during and after a power outage to keep yourself and your older loved ones safe.

The final link is to the ONCOR Service Assistance page. If you can't reach your loved ones and you're not sure about their power situation, this page includes an interactive map that you can use to check on electrical service at locations throughout the DFW area.

This summer has been brutal, but we've made it to August — and cooler temperatures should be on the way in September. Until then, please stay safe. And if you need help checking on your older loved ones or preparing their homes for potential power outages, please give Overture Home Care a call at (817) 887-9401. We are available 24/7 to schedule a consultation or to provide assistance.

LINKS:

CDC Natural Disasters and Severe Weather — Extreme Heat
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/older-adults-heat.html

NIH National Institute on Aging Hot Weather Safety for Older Adults
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hot-weather-safety-older-adults

CDC Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heat Related Illness
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html

FEMA Be Prepared for a Power Outage
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/power-outage_information-sheet.pdf

Oncor Service Assistance page
https://www.oncor.com/content/oncorwww/us/en/home.html