Calgary seniors are finding ways to keep cool amid a prolonged heat wave that’s expected to stick around for up to a week.
Thursday marked the third straight day of the lengthy stretch of extreme heat and some residents at a seniors home in Montgomery in the city’s northwest say they are making a few adjustments to their daily routine.
“Get out early in the morning, stay inside in the afternoon, drink a lot of fluids,” says Silvera for Seniors resident Don Caston.
Others say their loved ones have stepped up to help them get through the heat wave.
“My daughter and son-in-law buy bottled water and bring it and put it in my room for me,” says resident Ada Honeysett. “I have a little fridge.”
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Another resident, Greta Witten, says her daughter came and installed a fan in her room.
And while the units in the building don’t have air conditioning, some common rooms at the facility do. Residents have been taking advantage of it.
“They’ve actually adjusted the temperature because before it was a little too cool to sit in here,” says Caston. “This is the coolest room in the whole building.”
Silvera for Senior manager Vinod Nirwal says residents in the home sometimes use the room for other purposes like “socializing, knitting and painting.”
He says staff are working around the clock to ensure everyone is looked after during the heat event. For those who do decide to brave the elements and head out for a walk, or go to an appointment, bottled water is available at the front desk.
“They should feel comfortable, they should feel safe and secure, and these are some of the different ways our team always makes sure that they are getting what they need,” Nirwal says.
Environment Canada meteorologists expect the heat warning to last another five to seven days and say temperature records could be shattered.
The City of Calgary has listed online a number of cooling locations in libraries and recreation centres, where residents can refill water bottles, use water fountains or just get a break from the sun.