The project HOPE (Responding to Heatwaves in the Older People Ecosystem) aims to put the severe health threats of heatwaves on the agenda of the older adult service and healthcare sectors and to have an inclusive approach for the whole ecosystem by: 1) Developing and strengthening competences of students, caregivers, and professionals on better responding to the needs of older adults during heatwaves and thereby better mitigating the risks. 2) Supporting and stimulating the professional organisations in the older adults ecosystem to apply specific guidelines during heatwaves. 3) Supporting authorities through developed policy recommendations on how to play a role in the fight against heat risks for their older inhabitants living at home. 4) Communicating and disseminating project results and best practices on local, regional, national, European, and International levels.
If high temperatures continue for consecutive 6 days, the negative impact on mortality is 1.5 to 5 more detrimental than shorter events. One of the reasons this is an issue is due to an increasing rate of mortality and morbidity among older adults during extreme summer heat. A social emphasis in our response to the heatwaves is needed, since these affect people’s daily life and sense of wellbeing and security. Yet, social/health/care educations and sectors have hardly been involved in developing strategies on how to deal with this issue. They are therefore not sufficiently prepared and equipped to counter extreme thermal conditions to prevent and decrease mortality and morbidity. Since the health consequences of the climate change are already visible, these sectors need to play an active role in the solution delivery. It is therefore important to adopt a sustainable approach to counter this issue by developing (practical) education on the topic, training formal, informal and volunteer caregivers, and supporting social and care organisations in adapting strategies and tools on how to support older adults during the heatwaves.