According to weather forecasters, we can't expect much of a break in the heat wave currently affecting much of the country and in fact, the East will be flirting with triple-digit temperatures by Friday. With the extreme heat comes the warnings for our seniors.

Senior Helpers, an in-home provider which connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility, has a program called "Heat Helpers," which is designed to keep the elderly safe during the sweltering temperatures.On the Senior Helper's website,

www.seniorhelpers.com., it's reported that in every year since 1998, more people have died from extreme heat in the U.S. than from floods, tornadoes and hurricanes, combined. It also points out that heat waves are often called the "silent epidemic" or the "invisible natural disaster." Unlike natural disasters, they often strike victims within the confines of their homes.According to the American Medical Student Association, the general public sees heat waves as uncomfortable and inconvenient rather than life threatening. Unfortunately, many senior citizens are among those ignoring the warning signs. A Kent State University study found that 90 percent of respondents over the age of 65 were aware of heat warnings, but most believed the messages were for "older Americans."Peter Ross, CEO and founder of Senior Helpers, says that nobody wants to admit they can't deal with extreme heat like they used to, and that's why it's important to have "an extra set of eyes and ears to make sure seniors are doing everything they can to stay protected."Here are some precautions which caregivers for Senior Helpers practice and encourage during times of extreme heat:• Stay well hydrated - Caregivers remind seniors to drink water throughout the course of the day, even if they're not particularly thirsty. As adults continue to age, the amount of water retained by the body decreases substantially.• Maintain a cool environment - Caregivers close blinds and curtains keeping the house cool, even in triple digit temperatures. Most seniors are budget-conscious, so it's important for caregivers to be sure the AC is set to a proper, cool level and it's working. Caregivers can also be responsible to check filters once a month.• Stay in air conditioning in the afternoon - The hottest part of the day is from 3-5 p.m. Caregivers provide inside activities like playing cards, going to movies or the mall to keep seniors active inside to avoid spending time outside during the most dangerous hours of the day.• Eat plenty, but eat light - Caregivers prepare light food because heavy foods, like meat and cheese, tend to make the body work harder to digest, using more water and generating more body heat.• Follow new sunscreen guidelines - Caregivers are well versed on the FDA's newly released guidelines about sun protection. Seniors are more prone to sunburn because their bodies have less water. Caregivers educate seniors about these new regulations such as there's no such thing as "sweat proof" or "water proof" sunscreen. Sunscreens can claim to be "water resistant" but the company has to put a label on their product stating the sunscreen only offers 40 or 80 minutes of protection while swimming or sweating. Also, You must reapply sunscreen (15 - 30 SPF is recommended) every two hours for continued sun protection.By Jim Zbickjzbick@tnonline.com