Hot weather isn’t just a forecast…
Things are hotting up across the planet. Heatwaves in Wales are getting more frequent and more extreme. Statistics show that the hottest summers on record have all been in the last five years, and already this summer of 2026 has given us incredibly hot and sustained periods of time where temperatures have reached over 30 degrees centigrade.
While people used to welcome a relatively ‘hot spell’ and enjoyed the rare British sunshine to get outdoors, the current heat has been sapping and downright dangerous. Nowhere could this feel more overwhelming than in a care home such as ours at Drymmau Hall where we know that hot weather isn’t just a forecast, it’s a risk.
And that’s why we have a Heatwave Policy in place so that when the heat comes, we can keep our residents and the people who work with us, cool, calm and protected. This policy is based on Welsh Government guidance and is our yardstick to ensure safe care becoming operational as soon as the temperature begins to rise.
Being forewarned and forearmed is core to our caring as we have many vulnerable individuals living with us here as part of our extended family. Hot weather does not treat vulnerable people or the 65+ age group with any respect. We therefore work hard to protect our people from heat exhaustion, heat stroke or heat-related illnesses. We are vigilant of our residents with pre-existing health conditions such as respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, or mental health issues, neurological challenges such as Parkinson’s Disease or dementia, and those who are on medications that might affect the body’s ability to cope with heat, knowing they need extra special monitoring and TLC.
Our Heatwave Policy ensures preparedness and a model for effective care by:
Being in place ahead of need, with its advice ready to be rolled out when the time comes, such as on cold drinks and hydration
Offering prepared plans for monitoring heat-related body signs such as headache, dizziness and muscle weakness
Giving guidance on environmental adjustments such as curtain-closing, water sprays, fans, and staying out of the heat
Ensuring all our staff have access to this document, and that they are all on the same page in relation to the safety and wellbeing of the people being cared for
This in-place Policy has already come into its own this summer. But so have our staff, who go beyond the written document, maintaining close contact with our residents to pick up signs that something is ‘wrong’ through monitoring and reading the clues that might not always be verbal. For example, one of our residents, ‘J’, is normally an outgoing, chatty person, but with the rising temperature he became quieter and was ‘acting differently’ and even showing altered facial expressions. This is what close observation and diligent care can look like, and importantly, symptoms can be acted on quickly and effectively.
So, after enjoying the initial, gentler warmth in the run up to the intense heat, under umbrellas on the patio, outdoors was not an option later that week when the temperatures were melting. Instead, we made sure our residents were dressed in thin clothing, had curtains closed, and fans on in rooms, as well as checking in regularly and ensuring water, fresh fruit, plenty of ice-lollies and ice cream to keep hydrated.
In summary, at Drymmau Hall, we’d like to control global warming, forecast the weather, and predict the next severe hot weather warning. But while we can’t do that, we are confident that when the hot weather comes again – as we know it will – we have a policy and guidance in place that will enable us to plan ahead, keep environments cool, maintain hydration and protect those most at risk.
You can download a PDF of our Heatwave Policy here