Maine-taining Our Cool
Older Mainers and Extreme Heat
Older Mainers and Extreme Heat
The issue of extreme heat and older Mainers centers on the fact that older adults are uniquely vulnerable to hot days. People over the age of 65 are more likely to experience health impacts from heat for a few reasons.
First, as we age, we have a decreased ability to cool ourselves through sweating, and it takes us longer to adjust to changes in temperature. We are also more likely to rely on medications that make regulating our body temperature even harder.
There are also cultural and societal factors that can put older people at risk. Older adults are more likely to overdress on hot days. They are also less likely to have access to transportation. One in three seniors in Maine live by themselves, leaving some seniors socially isolated.
The disproportionate health impacts of extreme heat on older adults can be seen in Maine's heat-related hospitalization rates. Mainers over 65 consistently have higher heat-related hospitalizations than those younger than 65. Notably, medical professionals may fail to attribute the cause of illness to heat, particularly in areas that have historically been cooler, like Maine. Therefore, the recorded heat-related hospitalization rates may be an underestimate of the true toll. Heat-related illness also impacts the economy, burdening Medicare programs and the healthcare system. Thankfully, heat-related illnesses are preventable.
Both air temperature and humidity contribute to heat's dangers. A helpful weather metric that combines both is called a heat index. According to the National Weather Service, a heat index of 90°F is enough to cause heat stroke and heat exhaustion from prolonged exposure, but that threshold may be even lower in states like Maine, where people are accustomed to relatively lower temperatures.
Historically, Maine has been the coolest state in the contiguous U.S., experiencing only one day per year with a heat index above 90°F between 1970 and 2000. This indicates that Mainers might be less prepared for heat risk from climate change than the rest of the country.
Mainers need to be prepared for more extreme heat days. The speed of climate action has important implications for heat days, and therefore human health.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, even with rapid action on climate change, Maine could have 9 extreme heat days per year by 2100. With slow action, Maine could have 13 extreme heat days per year. Even a few more extremely hot days can have additional negative effects on human health, especially when heat days are consecutive, offering little chance for the body to recover during cooler night temperatures.
Older people are more vulnerable to heat, and climate change is increasing the number of extreme heat days.
Why is this a concern in Maine? Because Maine has the highest percentage of residents over age 65 of all states in the country.
Maine faces a unique challenge in keeping this vulnerable subset of the population safe in the face of climate change.
The percentage of adults over 65 also varies from county to county. Counties with the highest percentage of seniors, like Washington County, Franklin County, and York County, might need special consideration.
In December 2020, the Maine Climate Council announced a four-year statewide climate action plan: Maine Won't Wait.
The plan has four goals: 1) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2) Avoid the impacts and costs of inaction.
3) Foster economic opportunity.
4) Advance equity for all Mainers.
Part of the Maine Won't Wait plan includes the Community Resilience Partnership program.
Towns and tribal governments can apply for grant funding and technical assistance to help enhance their community's preparedness for extreme weather, including heat.
Thanks to the Community Resilience Partnership program, Woolwich, Maine, is strengthening its municipal communications about public health and early warnings.
Alerting residents to health hazards of extreme heat and asking folks to check-in on their elderly family and neighbors will help lower risks older Mainers face if they are socially isolated.
This house in Midcoast Maine was built in the 1850s, well before the days of air conditioning and climate change.
By mapping extreme heat risk perception and heat vulnerability index by county, we find that the counties that are most at risk of extreme heat are not necessarily the ones that perceive that risk the most.
This can lead to a gap in extreme heat preparedness. Maine planners will benefit from knowing which areas to target first for heat adaptation efforts. For example, Aroostook and Piscataquis Counties have the highest heat vulnerability index scores, but have only moderate heat risk perception. On the other hand, Androscoggin County has the highest risk perception, but only moderate vulnerability.
Maine's housing stock is also vulnerable to extreme heat. Maine homes are built for cold climates, and therefore might retain heat more than necessary in hot weather.
Compared to the U.S. average, Maine has a low rate of A/C usage at home.
The map here shows where planners can focus their attention on making sure folks are ready with A/C at home, or to establish community cooling centers.
People over 65 are often retirees with limited budgets for home efficiency projects. While traditional air conditioners work to cool buildings, they also worsen climate change through high electricity demand and use of refrigerants that, when leaked, contribute to global warming.
Heat pumps, which can be used to both heat and cool buildings, are more energy- and cost-efficient alternatives to home temperature regulation.
We propose the following recommendations to ensure the safety of older Mainers in preparation for more extreme heat days:
1. Climate action plans, including Efficiency Maine distributing Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan (MJRP) funds, should prioritize elderly, low-income residents for heat pump installation. 2. Identify communicators respected by older Mainers, like meteorologists, to increase targeted outreach to increase risk awareness in Maine's most vulnerable areas. 3. Establish community cooling centers that also address social isolation, such as libraries or the YMCA.
Bozzi, L., & Dubrow, R. (2020). Climate Change and Health in Connecticut. Yale Center on Climate Change and Health. https://ysph.yale.edu/yale-center-on-climate-change-and- health/yccch_cchc2020report_395366_5_v1.pdf Climate Change Indicators: Heat Waves. (2022, August 1). Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-heat-waves Heat-related health dangers for older adults soar during the summer. (2018, June 27). National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/heat- related-health-dangers-older-adults-soar-during-summer What is the heat index? (n.d). National Weather Service. https://www.weather.gov/ama/heatindex Maine Won’t Wait. https://www.maine.gov/climateplan/