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As extreme heat events become more frequent and severe across the United States, older adults face growing health risks that extend far beyond discomfort, according to a new policy analysis published in Public Policy & Aging Report.

In the article, "On the Regional Spectrum of Barriers and Obstacles for Older Adults Facing Extreme Heat: Air Conditioning and Beyond," scientists argue that public policies have not kept pace with a warming climate and often fail to address the financial, physical and structural barriers that prevent older adults from staying safe during heat waves. These barriers include rising utility costs, the expense of maintaining or repairing cooling systems, mobility limitations and aging housing stock ill-equipped to handle extreme heat.

"Heat is one of the deadliest weather-related hazards in the United States, and older adults are among those at greatest risk," said Amir Baniassadi, Ph.D., assistant scientist II at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife and a co-author of the article. "As temperatures rise, protecting older adults requires more than simply installing air conditioning. Air conditioning only protects people if they can afford to run it, maintain it and use it safely."

Older adults are particularly vulnerable to heat because aging reduces the body's ability to regulate temperature . Common chronic conditions, including diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as medications frequently prescribed to older adults, can further increase heat-related risks.

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