Whilst getting my daily dose of the news online I came across an article headed AMA’s Airconditioner Plan for the Elderly
It seems that the Victorian government is going to offer those elderly people in public housing a free airconditioner, and for those supporting themselves a rebate up to $1000 when they get an aircondioner or Block-out blinds installed to their homes (means tested ofcourse).
Last January, 248 elderly people died as a result of the heat of the summer. 46% of ambulance call outs were for elderly people with heat stroke and emergency admissions rose 12% in which 37% of that was due to elderly coming in suffering heat related issues.
We all know that the elderly are particularly frail and those of us who work in aged care know how much our elderly residents don’t notice the heat. In fact most of the time they walk around wearing cardigans or jackets despite temperatures exceeding 30 degrees. No matter how much we tell them to drink, take off the cardigan and nylon stockings they still insist wearing clothes that add a few degrees to their core temperature and refuse to drink anything other than tea.
I have even looked after residents in the past that have insisted on having the heater on during the sweltering heat! If we are witnessing this behaviour in our residential facilities what is happening to the elderly living at home alone with no one to watch out for their well being?
I think this step by government is a good start to care for the elderly but they have forgotten one thing….. who is going to make sure that the airconditioners are on and working? Whilst many elderly people living at home are not demented and are quite capable of looking after themselves they fail to recognise that elderly people do not feel the heat before it is too late. Then there is the issue that even though they have an airconditioner installed most of them will not run it as they don’t want to pay for the large energy bill they will get for that quarter, particularly those that are on a pension that can’t afford it even if they wanted too.
I admire the government for trying and particularly the AMA for recognising this problem but is this really the answer to the problem?
What do you think? Will this help? Or will this just take money out of the health budget and in the end we will still see the same amount of elderly people in hospital with heat related problems and we will have less money to treat them with?
Photo source (http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/air-conditioner.html)
Air Conditioners Yes you are right most of the elderly would be concerned about the enegy bill.Its disgusting when you think that the elderly who have given so much to this country have to worry about such things.Most elderly living at home these days are already having enough trouble just getting by week to week.
air con for aged This s great news!!
Who will pay the extra power charges please? These aged or everyone and at what ‘age’ is ‘aged’?
Reply to kbw and illawarrier They didn’t say who is going to pay for the energy bills, I assume the elderly. When they mentioned the elderly they were stipulating people aged 75 and up.
illawarrier…. yes you are sooo right. These are the people who went through the depression or their parents lived through the depression, spending money on things like airconditioning to them is unheard of, if they are hot they just open a window, they don’t even use fans. All those that are getting them free can’t afford healthy fresh food or a roof over their heads let alone the running cost of aircon. Hmmmm I wonder if they thought this through properly.
Aircon or heat? Yes it is a fact that summers are getting hotter.
Some of these folks were on farms so know what the heat is like. What about free water so they can take a shower or bath instead of noise ad power costs? Hydration is essential as is keeping the core temp down.
Block-out blinds stop any flow of air. Water running down shade cloth is better as was used prior too fidges,fans or air-con! But we are also short of water. Manley Nurses worked in high heat for many years as did so mnay in early years of nursing..city and country.
Air Conditioners About time the government did something for the Oldies – at least this lot of oldies would have earnt the right to a bit of free stuff – but why does the government not put all their collective brain power together and invent reverse cycle airconditioners that run on Solar Power – no electrical bills for the oldies and when they have moved on – to a Nursing Home someone else will get the benefit of free cooling / heating hopefully some one like this lot who have had to work all their lives for a pittance to have it all taken by the tax man – or greedy family members