Staying safe in hot weather: protecting an older relative in a Mediterranean summer

Health & daily life · 4 min read · Last updated 2 November 2026

Summers around the Mediterranean are hot, and older people feel the heat more than most. Heat can worsen existing conditions and, in the worst cases, becomes a medical emergency. This guide uses NHS advice to explain who is at higher risk, how to keep someone cool, what to watch for and what to ask a care home. It is general information, not medical advice.

Who is most at risk

The NHS lists several groups who are more affected by hot weather. Many of them describe people in or considering a care home:

  • People aged 65 and over.
  • People with serious long-term conditions, including heart, breathing, kidney or mental health problems, dementia, diabetes or Parkinson's disease.
  • People who live alone and may be unable to look after themselves.
  • People taking several medicines, or medicines that may make them more badly affected by heat. Ask a doctor or pharmacist whether any of your relative's medicines are affected.
  • People who are already ill and dehydrated, for example from diarrhoea or vomiting.

Keeping cool and hydrated

The NHS advice for hot weather is simple, and most of it can be used at home or in a care home:

  • Stay out of the heat if you can. If you go outside, stay in the shade, especially between 11am and 3pm.
  • Wear a hat and light clothing, use sunscreen, and avoid activity that makes you hotter.
  • Close windows, curtains and blinds during the day, and open them at night when it is cooler outside.
  • Have regular cold drinks and cold food, and drink extra fluids. The NHS advises avoiding alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.
  • Take a cool shower, or put cool water on the skin or clothes.
  • Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. The NHS page gives no advice for higher temperatures.
  • Check the temperature of rooms where at-risk people live and sleep, and check on anyone at higher risk.

The Alzheimer's Society notes that people with dementia often drink less than they need, so offering drinks regularly matters more than waiting to be asked. See eating and drinking well in later life.

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke: what to look for

Heat exhaustion

According to the NHS, symptoms include tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, heavy sweating with pale, clammy skin, cramps, a high temperature, intense thirst and irritability. The NHS advises these steps:

  1. Move the person to a cool place and remove unnecessary clothing.
  2. Give plenty of water, or an isotonic sports drink or oral rehydration powder mixed with water.
  3. Cool the skin by spraying or sponging with cool water and fanning. Cold packs wrapped in cloth can go under the armpits or on the neck.
  4. Stay with them until they recover. They should start to feel better within 30 minutes.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke is a medical emergency. The NHS lists a very high temperature, hot skin without sweating (which may look red), fast breathing and heartbeat, confusion and restlessness, a seizure and loss of consciousness. While waiting for help, wrap the person in a cool wet sheet or sponge them with cold water, and place them in the recovery position if they lose consciousness. The NHS advises not driving them to hospital yourself.

What to ask a care home about heat

These are our suggested questions, based on the NHS advice above. Air conditioning is often charged as an extra, so see understanding care costs.

  • Which rooms and shared areas are cooled, and is my relative's room one of them?
  • How is the temperature checked in bedrooms and lounges during a heatwave?
  • How do staff make sure residents drink enough, including those who rarely ask?
  • Is there a written plan for hot weather, and do staff know the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke?
  • Are outings and activities moved to cooler times of day?
  • Are residents' medicines reviewed for heat sensitivity if the doctor advises it?

You can also see how a home handles daily life when you visit. Our visit checklist covers what to look for.

Frequently asked questions

Are fans enough in a heatwave?

According to the NHS, electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees, and the NHS page gives no guidance for higher temperatures. Fans work best alongside shade, cool drinks, closed blinds in the day and cool water on the skin.

Should an older person drink more in hot weather?

Yes. The NHS advises drinking extra fluids and avoiding alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks. If someone has a medical condition that limits fluids, ask their doctor before changing how much they drink.

Do some medicines make heat worse?

The NHS says people taking several medicines, or medicines that may make them more badly affected by heat, are at higher risk, but its page does not name them. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about your relative's own medicines.

Sources and further reading

This guide is general information only, compiled from the public sources listed above as of the date shown. It is not legal, medical, tax, financial or care advice, and we cannot guarantee that it is complete, accurate or up to date. Rules, thresholds and prices change and differ by country and region, and some sources describe other countries' rules as examples. Check details with the authorities and care homes named, and take professional advice for your own situation before you act. If you spot an error, please email [email protected] and we will correct it.