Hot weather in care
Updated June 2024
Hot weather is a great time for people living in care to get out and enjoy time outdoors. With protection from the sun, of course, such as hats, umbrella shades, sunscreen and cool drinks. But hot weather can also be a concern for residents and their families, especially during a heatwave.
Many care homes are simply not set up for extreme temperatures, being housed in old or repurposed buildings. Luxuries like air conditioning are rare. Some residents' rooms have no fresh air if they only have patio doors which are locked to prevent them from going into the garden alone. For others, windows may only open a crack for safety.
If windows face the afternoon sun, the response is often to close the curtains - for people confined to their rooms by mobility, this can make their home feel like a prison, they tell us.
"We’re really worried about how hot my relative's room gets, as the sun shines through the window all afternoon. Her room is like a prison cell with the curtains shut. Even in April there was one day she was dripping with sweat and I feared she wouldn’t be alive the next day to celebrate her birthday." Adviceline client
So, what’s our advice?
Advice for people living in care and their families
Review your room and talk to care staff about potential problems - if there is no fresh air or windows face the afternoon sun, ask about fans or other equipment which can keep the room cooler
Check with care staff what action they are taking to protect residents - care providers should be clear about how they are going to safeguard residents during hot weather
The care setting should have carried out a risk assessment and produced an action plan - ask if this hasn't been provided
Contact the safeguarding team at the local authority if you are concerned about someone's health
Send the manager the Government guidance on supporting vulnerable people during hot weather (for England)
Providers must, by law, ensure care is safe and prevent avoidable harm (under Regulation 12) - if you have concerns raise them with the regulator the Care Quality Commission (for England)
Be extra cautious about rooms which get afternoon sun, where the heat can rise quickly
Ask about plans to safeguard residents over the weekend when staffing levels may be lower and managers may be absent
Remind care staff of their legal duties to safeguard resident's health and wellbeing (under the Human Rights Act) and to carry out individual assessments (under the Equality Act)
If the care setting has restrictions on movement or visiting for any reason, remind them that visitors are still allowed and that restrictions must be proportionate to residents’ legal right to family life (under the Human Rights Act)
As relatives and friends visiting, take care of your own wellbeing too - remember your own hat/sunscreen and take plenty of water
Contact our adviceline if you have any concerns or need some advice or support