By Bernice Ng
On Friday July 14, we hosted our Seniors in the Park Day right in the garden! We had over 60 seniors in attendance, many of whom are part of our ongoing LMNH seniors programs. Everyone had a chance to participate in fun activities, such as line dancing and pole walking. The highlight of the event was the “Art Station”. We saw the flourishing creativity of our seniors who used markers and stencils to create beautiful, take-home masterpieces.
During lunch, our seniors and climate response coordinator, Jacqui, provided heat response training to the group. Heat response training is extremely critical, especially during the blazing summer months. She went over a lot of information, so here are some takeaway points:
Shut your windows and blinds at 9am in the morning to prevent excess heat from entering your home. You can reopen them around 9-10pm to allow the cooler air to enter.
If the temperature reaches between 26°C to 31°C in your home, it is dangerous and too hot for you to be inside.
You can combat the heat by taking a cold shower, placing gel packs on yourself, and staying hydrated.
To get our seniors started on their heat response preparedness, we held a draw for two cooling kits that were generously provided by the City of Vancouver.
As part of LMNH’s efforts to combat the heat, we have a new misting station setup to use for our outdoor events!
If you want to learn more about heat response training or how you can help others combat the heat crisis, we will be offering a Train the Trainers Leadership Program. Check our website and social media platforms for more information to come soon.