Summer sun is dangerous for seniors, even if your senior parent doesn’t spend a lot of time in the sun. Seniors who are living at home still need to protect themselves from the UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Personal care at home is the best way to make sure that your parent takes good care of their skin in the hot summer weather.
With personal care at home, your parent will have the skilled and compassionate assistance they need to do things like apply sunscreen, take regular showers, and get dressed in weather-appropriate clothing. If your senior parent doesn’t have personal care at home, find out more about how personal care at home can protect your senior parent’s health and help them safely perform hygiene tasks like showering, brushing their teeth, and washing up each day.
Sun Protection Tips For Seniors
The sun can take a serious toll on senior skin. As seniors get older, their skin loses elasticity and is more prone to sunburn and other sun damage. That’s why even if your parent doesn’t go outside often in the sun, they need sun protection at home, like:
Encourage Your Senior Parent to Wear Sunscreen Every Day
Sunscreen isn’t just for days spent outdoors. Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every morning can help protect your senior parent’s skin from everyday sun exposure, including sunlight coming through windows.
A care provider trained in personal care at home can help your parent apply sunscreen to protect them from the sun. They can apply sunscreen to your parent’s hands, forearms, lower legs, and the tops of their feet.
If your senior parent wears sandals or spends time sitting near sunny windows, these areas can receive a surprising amount of UV exposure.
If your parent plans to spend time outside, sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or after sweating. Making sunscreen part of their daily routine is one of the easiest ways to protect their skin year-round.
Close Blinds, Shades, or Curtains During the Brightest Part of the Day
Large windows can fill your parent’s home with beautiful natural light, but they also allow UV rays and heat to enter. During the summer, light-blocking curtains, blinds, or shades should be closed during the hottest and sunniest hours of the afternoon.
This simple step helps reduce your senior parent’s exposure to sunlight while also keeping the home cooler and more comfortable.
Help Your Parent Wear Lightweight Long Sleeves and Long Pants
Your senior parent doesn’t have to wear heavy clothing to protect their skin. Lightweight, breathable fabrics can provide an extra layer of protection from the sun while helping them stay comfortable during warm weather.
Loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and lightweight pants help shield your parent’s arms and legs from direct sunlight while watering flowers, walking to the mailbox, or sitting on the porch.
These clothes can also help protect their skin indoors if your senior parent spends time near sunny windows for several hours each day. A personal care at home provider can help your parent get dressed in summer clothing, and change clothes during the day if necessary.
Protect Your Parent’s Skin While Riding in the Car
Many seniors spend more time in the car than they realize while running errands, attending medical appointments, or visiting family and friends.
Even though the windows are closed, UVA rays can still pass through the glass and reach the skin. During longer drives, your parent’s hands, arms, face, and legs may receive significant sun exposure.
Applying sunscreen before leaving home and wearing lightweight protective clothing can help reduce this risk. If your senior parent frequently takes longer drives, sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat can provide additional protection from the sun.
Help Your Parent Check Their Skin Regularly
Protecting your senior parent’s skin also means watching for changes that could indicate a problem. As people age, the risk of developing skin cancer increases, making regular skin checks especially important.
Take a few minutes each month to help examine your parent’s skin for new moles, sores that don’t heal, rough patches, or spots that change in size, color, or shape. Family members can also help check areas that are difficult for your parent to see, such as their back.
If anything unusual is noticed, schedule an appointment with your parent’s healthcare provider or dermatologist. Detecting skin cancer early often leads to simpler and more successful treatment.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care at Home in Dover, MA, please contact the caring staff at Care Resolutions, Inc today. (508) 906-5572
CARE Resolutions, Inc provides quality 24-Hour Home Care for seniors and families in Walpole, Dover, Wellesley, Framingham, Norfolk, Quincy, Weston, Medfield, Boston, Sherborn, MA, and surrounding areas.
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