3.1.1. Aging Process

Aging can increase risk factors for mobility, chronic conditions, and susceptibility to dehydration and can diminish sensory awareness (ACL 2018). These conditions can reduce the ability of these seniors to respond to climate events. Climate change events can exacerbate chronic illnesses in adults, especially when there is a lack of food or water, extreme heat or cold, stress, exposure to infections, and interruptions to access much-needed medications. Additionally, the elderly that are reliant on physical support and medical equipment may encounter disruptions in a climate change event such as a storm, hurricane, earthquake, or volcanic eruption (Balbus et al. 2016). Gamble et al. (2013) report that the most foreboding climate stressors facing the elderly are heat waves, hurricanes, flooding, droughts, poor air quality, and infectious diseases. They might also be experiencing factors associated with advancing age, such as diabetes, cardiovascular impairments, and heat sensitivity. Bunker et al. (2016) find that a 1-degree Celsius rise in temperature can affect the mortality and morbidity of the elderly.
