Summer's not over: keep the elderly cool.

• Position: Your Life - Brief article

With 10 states reporting record high temperatures this summer, the National Weather Service warns that soaring temps and high humidity will continue to create danger that causes heat illnesses--especially for the elderly. Forty percent of heat-related deaths are among people over the age of 65. Moreover, a study out of Kent (Ohio) State University shows most respondents in that age bracket thought the heat warnings for seniors did not apply to them and instead were targeted to "older Americans."

Visiting Angels, Baltimore, Md., an in-home senior care company, advises families to protect their aging relatives. "Seniors often don't realize their bodies can't handle heat like they used to, so they fail to take extra precautions," says CEO Larry Meigs. "Seniors can become dangerously dry because their body water content decreases and medications can dehydrate them. Take the time to prepare a Senior Summer Safety Kit."

The kit should contain a reusable water bottle to maintain hydration; copies of all prescriptions and health insurance cards...