Heat exhaustion is not usually serious if you can cool down within 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency. Download our free emergency treatment for heatstroke poster below to ensure you and your team know what to do in an emergency.
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If you suspect someone has heatstroke, call 999.
While waiting for the ambulance:
- Take the person’s temperature.
- If possible, move them somewhere cooler.
- Cool them down as quickly as possible by giving them a cool shower, sprinkling them with water or wrapping them in a damp sheet, and using a fan to create an air current.
- Encourage them to drink fluids if they are conscious.
- Give them a saline drip and oxygen if they are unwell.
- Do not give them aspirin or paracetamol.
Source: Supporting vulnerable people before and during a heatwave: for care home managers and staff
You can also find a dom care version of the heatstroke poster here.
You might want to check out our Ultimate Heatwave Toolkit below. You will find a heatwave checklist to help you to keep your residents cool and safe. There is also a heatstroke poster to remind your staff of the symptoms, how to prevent heatstroke and the first aid they could carry out if symptoms are seen.
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