Keeping Cool and Well in the Hottest May on Record

On Monday 25 May, Kew Gardens recorded a provisional temperature of 34.8°C, the hottest May day in the UK since records began, beating the previous May record of 32.8°C set in 1922 and 1944. The heatwave is forecast to continue through this week, with London peaks around 35°C, and the UK Health Security Agency has Amber and Yellow Heat Health Alerts in force.

For Wandsworth and Lambeth, sitting just along the river from Kew, this is one of the most demanding spells of weather we have seen in May. It is also one of the most consequential, particularly for older adults. This guide covers the practical things that matter most: how to keep your home as cool as possible, how to stay safe through the day, and the warning signs that mean it is time to act.

Heat affects the body differently as we age. The mechanisms we rely on to keep cool, such as sweating, skin blood flow, and the sensation of thirst, all become less efficient over time. Many older adults also live with conditions, or take medications, that further reduce the body’s ability to cope with heat. Diuretics, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants can all increase the risk of dehydration. Cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and dementia all add to the load.

The effects can also creep up quietly. Older adults are less likely to notice they are thirsty, less likely to feel uncomfortably warm, and less likely to act on warning signs early. In a flat that has slowly heated up over a hot afternoon, a person can become dangerously unwell without ever feeling that they are.

Office for National Statistics figures consistently show that the majority of excess deaths during UK heatwaves occur in people aged 65 and over. Most of these deaths are not from heatstroke directly. They are from heart attacks, strokes, and the worsening of existing conditions in a body that is already under strain.

None of this is meant to alarm. The point is that during a heatwave like this one, the small, simple things – keeping the home cool, drinking regularly, and resting during the hottest hours – are not optional comforts. They are genuinely protective. A few small changes, made early, are usually enough.

The single most effective thing you can do is keep the heat out before it gets in. London homes were not built for this kind of weather, and once a flat has warmed up through the afternoon, it can be very difficult to cool down again.

Through the day

• Keep curtains and blinds closed in any room the sun is hitting, especially south- and west-facing ones. This is one of the most underrated tools we have.
• Keep windows closed in rooms that are already hot. Only open them once the outside air drops below the inside temperature — usually after 9 or 10pm.
• Move chairs and beds away from direct sunlight. A patch of carpet that has been in the sun radiates heat long after the sun has moved.
• If you have a fan, position it across a bowl of ice. In very hot, dry air, a fan alone can make things worse rather than better.

Overnight

• Open windows on opposite sides of the home, where it is safe to do so, to create a through-draught and pull cooler night air in.
• Close everything again first thing in the morning, before the sun comes round.

A cool ground-floor or north-facing room can be a real sanctuary in a heatwave. If you have one, use it.

Some of our clients have asked Carers to do this kind of preparation as part of our regular visits this week: closing curtains, checking water bottles, and moving favourite chairs into a cooler room.

Beyond the home, a heatwave changes the rhythm of the day.

Drink more, and earlier.

Do not wait until you feel thirsty. By the time an older adult feels thirsty, they are already mildly dehydrated. Aim for a glass of water at every meal, plus one with each medication round, plus one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon. Tea and coffee count, but water is best. Cold drinks are pleasant, but room-temperature water is often easier to drink in larger amounts.

Time your day around the heat.

The hottest hours are usually between 11am and 4pm. If you need to go out, aim for the early morning or after 7pm. Errands that can wait until tomorrow probably should.

Eat lightly.

Cold meals (for example, salads, sandwiches, yoghurts, and fruit) are easier on the body than hot, heavy ones, and they avoid heating the kitchen with cooking. Foods with high water content, such as cucumber, melon, strawberries, and tomatoes, are quietly hydrating.

Dress for the weather.

Loose, light-coloured cotton clothing helps; a damp flannel on the back of the neck, or the inside of the wrists, can bring temperature down quickly. If you live alone, ask a neighbour, friend, or family member to check in. A two-minute knock on the door, twice a day, is an enormous reassurance, both to you and to them. Where family cannot drop in, this is exactly the kind of need our companionship visits are designed for.

It is worth knowing the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke, because the action you take is different.

Heat exhaustion is the body’s early warning system. Symptoms can include feeling hot and sweaty; headache; dizziness; feeling sick; cramps in the arms, legs, or stomach; rapid breathing or pulse; and being very thirsty. In an older adult, you may also see unusual confusion, sleepiness, or weakness.

If you suspect heat exhaustion, the response is calm and quick. Move the person somewhere cool. Sit or lie them down, with feet slightly raised. Give plenty of water in small, frequent sips rather than large amounts. Cool the skin with damp flannels, a fan, or a cool shower. They should feel better within thirty minutes.

Heatstroke, on the other hand, is a medical emergency. Call 999 if the person:

• Is no better after thirty minutes of cooling and rest;
• Is confused, agitated, or losing consciousness;
• Has a very high body temperature;
• Has stopped sweating despite being very hot;
• Is having a seizure, or has very fast, shallow breathing.

Do not wait to see if things improve. While waiting for the ambulance, continue to cool the person with damp flannels and fans, and offer water if they are conscious.

NHS 111 and 999 are both well used to heat-related calls at the moment, and you will not be wasting anyone’s time.