At work or play, be ready to stay cool, beat the heatby Access
Press Staff // July 10th, 2012 It has already been a hot summer
in the Midwest. People with disabilities and the elderly need to
be especially mindful of high heat and humidity, and how it
makes them feel. While everyone is susceptible to illnesses due
to extreme heat, certain populations may be especially
vulnerable to health effects including people with preexisting
medical conditions, people with disabilities, the very young
(less than 5 years old) and the elderly (older than 65). People
who are overweight may also be more vulnerable to heat-related
illness. Other factors that can increase the risk from extreme
heat events include living alone (especially the elderly),
having prolonged exposure to the sun (construction workers),
consuming alcohol, living in an urban area (heat island effect),
not having access to air conditioning and living in a top floor
apartment. Data indicates that Minnesota is getting hotter and
more humid, which may incre