Helping an elderly parent stay cool and safe through a Perth summer

This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you’re worried about a health symptom, especially during hot weather, seek medical advice or call for emergency help rather than relying on general guidance.

Perth summers are long and hot, and older adults are more vulnerable to heat than most people realise, partly because the body’s ability to regulate temperature and recognise thirst changes with age. If you’re helping a parent or older relative manage through the hotter months, a working, well-used air conditioner is one of the simplest things that makes a real difference.

Start with the system itself

Before summer sets in, it’s worth checking that your parent’s air conditioning is actually working properly rather than assuming it is. Ask when it was last serviced, and if it’s been more than a year or two, book a service before the heat arrives rather than during it, since technicians are far busier and harder to book quickly once a heatwave hits. If the system struggles to cool the room, runs constantly without much effect, or is more than 10 to 15 years old, get a technician to assess whether it needs repair or is nearing the end of its working life.

The cost conversation

A common reason older adults avoid running their air conditioner is worry about the power bill, and it’s worth having that conversation directly rather than assuming they’ll use it when they need it. A few things can help:

• Talk through roughly what running the system actually costs versus the risk of heat-related illness, since the two often aren’t weighed against each other honestly.
• Check whether they’re eligible for any energy bill concessions or assistance, since seniors and pensioners often qualify for support they haven’t looked into.
• Suggest setting the thermostat to a comfortable, consistent temperature rather than switching the unit on and off throughout the day, which is often less efficient than keeping a steady setting during the hottest hours.

Signs of heat stress worth knowing

Heat affects older adults faster and less obviously than younger people, and symptoms can be mistaken for general tiredness. Watch for confusion, dizziness, weakness, nausea, a headache that doesn’t ease, or unusually heavy sweating (or, conversely, a lack of sweating despite the heat, which can be a more serious sign). If someone seems off during a hot spell, don’t assume it will pass on its own, cool them down, offer water, and seek medical advice if symptoms don’t improve quickly.

Warning sign	What to do
Confusion or dizziness	Move to a cool space, offer water, seek medical advice
Heavy sweating or, unusually, none at all	Cool the person down, monitor closely
Nausea or headache that doesn’t ease	Rest in a cool room, seek medical advice if it persists
Rapid heartbeat or breathing	Treat as urgent, seek medical help

A simple summer checklist

Getting the basics sorted well before the first heatwave makes the whole season easier to manage: confirm the air conditioner has been serviced, check that it’s actually being used rather than avoided over cost worries, keep an eye on hot days in particular, and make sure there’s an easy way for your parent to reach you or a neighbour if they’re not feeling well. None of this needs to be complicated, it just needs to happen before the heat arrives, not during it.

If your parent lives alone

Checking in more often during a run of hot days matters more than a single conversation at the start of summer. A quick phone call or visit on the hottest days lets you notice if something’s off, whether that’s the air conditioner underperforming or your parent simply not feeling well. If they’re comfortable with it, a simple check-in arrangement with a neighbour on days you can’t visit in person adds another layer of reassurance without being intrusive.

What if they’re reluctant to get help

Some older adults are hesitant to spend money on a repair or service, or reluctant to admit a system isn’t working as well as it used to, sometimes out of a wish not to be a burden. Framing the conversation around comfort and safety rather than cost alone can help, and offering to help arrange or pay for a service yourself, if that’s something you’re able to do, often removes the biggest obstacle without much friction.

If you’re also managing cooling for a baby or young child in the same household, our guide on choosing air conditioning for a nursery or young family covers the extra things worth thinking about for their room.

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