How to Take Care of Aging Skin During the Summer for Assisted Living Residents
Warm weather is also associated with fun outdoor activities. And for senior adults in assisted living communities, summer is an opportunity to bask under the sun. However, as people grow older, the skin grows thinner and more sensitive to sun exposure, making it necessary to take precautionary measures to be protected from harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Fortunately, there are several ways and means to shield the skin from sunburns, skin aging, loss of elasticity, wrinkles, or worst skin cancer. Be sure to remember these tips when going out or share these with your loved ones.
Tips For Aging Skin Care for Assisted Living Residents
Stay Hydrated
Water is essential to keep bodily functions and more essential as we grow older to keep the skin to stay hydrated, particularly during the hot summer months.
During summer, it is recommended to drink at least 2 and a half liters of water. Although water is the best way to stay hydrated, watermelon has high water content, celery, and cucumber.
Apply Sunscreen
Make sure to regularly apply sunscreen or at least every 90 minutes to keep the sunscreen protection effective. Choose a product that has at least 30 SPF or higher.
Moisturize
Always have a moisturizer handy to restore the skin’s protection from the UV rays and prevent it from drying out. Encourage loved ones in assisted living care to incorporate to keep the skin moisturized.
Consult Your Doctor
When taking medications, consult with your doctor first as some prescriptions may cause sensitivity to sun exposure. Ask for recommendations on how to still enjoy the summer months without the worries of negative side effects.
SPF Recommendations
With proper care and the right product, your skin can still look young and healthy. For seniors in assisted living, selecting the right SPF adds an extra layer of protection.
The SPF should be at least 30. A facial cream or sunscreen lotion or spray with SPF protection of 30 filters 97% of UVB rays while SPF 50 filters about 98%. Let us say if your skin burns under the sun in 15 minutes without sunscreen, SPF 30 product provides skin protection against sun damage for 450 minutes. That is based on 15 minutes multiplied by 30 SPF.
Sunscreen products should be waterproof or sweatproof and must be applied 30 minutes before going out. As mentioned, sunscreen must be re-applied every 90 minutes but is done more frequently when sweating or swimming. Or better yet, read the manufacturer’s recommendations and instructions on how to properly use the product.
Other than exercising these tips on how to take care of the skin for seniors in assisted living, the seniors can reduce their risk of skin damage by wearing protective clothing such as pants, long-sleeved tops, shades, and wide-brimmed hats.
Even with the appropriate clothing and sun protection, remember to seek shade when necessary. Lastly, avoid peak exposures usually between 10 AM and 2 PM.
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