Elderly individuals are also "more likely to take prescription medicines that impair the body's ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibit perspiration" (Heat stress in the elderly, 2009, CDC). What levels of prevention are warranted in the situation? What might a community health nurse do to intervene?

The immediate concern is removing the residents to a safer area during oppressively hot days with bad air quality. For residents who wish to exercise, arranging for transport to a local cooling center where they can exercise is one option. For round-the-clock care, however, the unit overall must be maintained with a proper air conditioning and ventilation unit. The community health nurse must stress that this is to be done ASAP, otherwise the nurse will report the facility for health code violations. Until the unit is repaired, the nurse can provide supportive instruction to help residents deal with the heat, such as drinking water more frequently, wearing light-colored clothing, and confining intense activity to the coolest hours of the day. If they are in immediate danger, however,...

Convincing staff members of the importance of an active lifestyle and the abnormality of being listless for the elderly is important for the psychological and physical health of the elderly.
Works Cited

Asthma and the elderly. (2009). therubins.com. Retrieved March 24, 2009 at http://www.therubins.com/illness/asthma.htm

Heat stress in the elderly. (2009). Center for Disease Control (CDC). Retrieved March 24, 2009 at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/elderlyheat.asp

Heatstroke and the elderly. (2009). North Shore - Long Island Jewish Health System.

Retrieved March 24, 2009 at http://www.nslij.com/body.cfm?id=1231

Community health nursing