Older adults face a significantly higher risk for heat-related illnesses. Age-related physiological changes, like reduced sweating and poorer circulation, impair the body’s ability to regulate temperature. Chronic conditions and medications further compound this vulnerability.Why Older Adults are Vulnerable

• Diminished Thermoregulation: Aging blunts the body's natural cooling mechanisms, meaning older adults heat up faster and struggle to cool down.
• Medication Interference: Prescription drugs (e.g., diuretics, beta-blockers, antihistamines, and antipsychotics) can disrupt the body's ability to sweat or control temperature.
• Underlying Conditions: Pre-existing health issues such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and diabetes complicate the body's stress response.  
• Blunted Thirst: Older adults often lose their sense of thirst, increasing the risk of severe dehydration before they even realize they need fluids.

 Recognizing the Warning Signs

When high temperatures persist, look out for the following specific symptoms:

• Heat Exhaustion: Heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, or vomiting.
• Heat Stroke (Life-Threatening Emergency): A body temperature above 103°F, red/hot/dry skin, no sweating, a fast/strong pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, confusion, or unconsciousness.

 Essential Prevention Steps

• Hydrate Constantly: Drink plenty of water and do not wait until thirst strikes. Consult a physician if you are on fluid-restricted diets or water pills.
• Seek Air Conditioning: Spend the hottest parts of the day in air-conditioned environments. Fans alone are generally insufficient on high heat index days.
• Stay Local and Connected: Utilize local cooling shelters if your home lacks reliable air conditioning. Have friends, family, or neighbors check on you daily during extreme heat waves.
• Adjust Routines: Reschedule strenuous outdoor activities or run necessary errands during the cooler early morning hours.

If you are preparing for a heat wave:

• Find local cooling centers in or near your community.
• Review medications that might increase heat sensitivity.
• Create an emergency communication plan with neighbors or caregivers.

Sources: National Institutes of Health & Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

To find a cooling center in Illinois click on Keep Cool Illinois logo or you may call ECIAAA at (800) 888-4456.

ECIAAA services, Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, Macon, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby and Vermilion counties

Celebrating PRIDE Month for Older Adults

PRIDE month in June was chosen to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising, which occurred in New York City on June 28, 1969. At the time, being openly LGBTQ+ was largely prohibited, and patrons of a popular gay bar called the Stonewall Inn clashed with police during a raid. These protests catalyzed the modern gay liberation movement and are widely considered the turning point in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.

LGBTQ+ Older People LGBTQ+ older people are a diverse and widespread population, residing in every area of the country. While the lack of a national probability study makes it impossible to determine the exact number of LGBTQ+ elders in the United States, estimates suggest that nearly 3 million people aged 50 and over currently identify as LGBTQ+, a number projected to rise to around 7 million as the aging population grows.

LGBTQ+ older people face unique challenges as we age. LGBTQ+ elders are:

Systemic discrimination prevents many LGBTQ+ older adults from seeking vital services, such as caregiving and health care, often worsening chronic illnesses and mental distress. Approximately one-third of LGBTQ+ individuals with a serious illness report receiving insensitive treatment from health care providers.

These barriers extend far beyond medical settings, compounding challenges with social isolation and financial insecurity. Overall, 48% of older LGBTQ+ individuals report feeling socially isolated, a number that jumps to 56% for lack of companionship and 63% for social isolation among transgender elders. Furthermore, bias complicates the search for safe, affordable housing, which is critical as over one-third (36%) of LGBTQ+ elders live below 200% of the federal poverty level. Despite facing higher rates of anxiety and depression, LGBTQ+ older people are nearly three times more likely to forego necessary mental health care and medications, largely stemming from a lifetime of discriminatory experiences.

Despite facing unique hurdles, LGBTQ+ older adults build vibrant lives worldwide, with nearly half reporting high levels of happiness and life satisfaction. As trailblazers who catalyzed the Stonewall uprising and compassionate caregivers during the AIDS crisis, they leave a profound legacy of resilience, activism, and community-driven progress.

These inspiring pioneers continue to shape the world today, remaining deeply engaged in modern advocacy, mutual aid, and grassroots organizing. Their perseverance through adversity has laid the groundwork for decades of expanding equality, cementing their status as enduring models of strength and courage.

Showing support for the LGBTQ+ community requires cooperation from others including educating yourself about LGBTQ+ history, terminology and gender identifies. Use inclusive language and avoid making assumptions about someone’s gender or sexual orientation.  Listen without judgement allowing friends or family members to share their experiences without trying to invalidate or question their feelings. To learn more about how to show support to the older adult LGBTQ+ community, go to https://www.sageusa.org/.

ECIAAA serves Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, Macon, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby and Vermilion counties.

Celebrated every May, Older Americans Month (OAM) is led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Established in 1963, OAM is a time to recognize older Americans' contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving older adults in our communities.

This year’s theme, “Champion Your Health,” focuses on prevention, wellness, and personal responsibility as cornerstones of healthy aging. It encourages older adults to take an active role in their health - advocating for themselves, accessing preventive care, and making informed decisions that support independence.

How Can Individuals Take Charge of Their Health at Every Age?

• Stay up to date on preventive care and screenings.
• Build and maintain social connections that support emotional well-being.
• Choose nutritious, minimally processed foods.
• Incorporate regular physical activity to maintain strength and mobility.
• Practice daily habits that support mental health and resilience.

Programs and Services Offered Through the Older Americans Act Promoting Wellness

• Nutrition – congregate and home-delivered meals, nutritional risk assessment.
• Fit and Strong – a group physical activity and behavior change program for persons with arthritis.
• Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) – empowers individuals to advocate for their own health, make healthy lifestyle choices, and navigate use of medications and substances like alcohol.
• Diabetes Self-Management Program – helps individuals manage diabetes to prevent or delay serious diabetes complications.
• Chronic Disease Self-Management Program – provides education on dealing with and managing symptoms of chronic conditions.
• Matter of Balance – designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults.
• Bingocize – combines exercise, health education and Bingo.
• PREPARE for Your Care – helps get the care that is right for you and reduce stress for family and friends.
• PEARLS (Program to Encourage Active Rewarding Lives) – designed to reduce symptoms of depression and improve quality of life.
• Social Connections – reducing social isolation and loneliness.
• Stress Busting – provides support to family caregivers of persons with dementia or a chronic condition.
• Support Groups – for family caregivers of older adults and grandparents raising grandchildren and other relatives as parents.

For more information, contact East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging at (800) 888-4456.

ECIAAA serves Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, Macon, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby and Vermilion counties.

JobReadyIL.com launched on April 1, 2026, as a free, online platform designed for Illinois residents to gain crucial job readiness skills, advance their professional development, and explore new career paths. Available anytime via computer or mobile device, the platform helps individuals prepare for, secure, and retain employment. 

We encourage you to share this resource with colleagues, professional networks, and individuals impacted by the SNAP work requirements to help them build valuable skills and explore career opportunities.

For those receiving SNAP benefits, participation in Job Ready Illinois may also help them earn work hours needed to maintain their benefits.

What Job Ready Illinois Offers:

• Free, self-paced online job readiness training
• Flexible access anytime, anywhere
• Tools and guidance to support job search and career development

How to Get Started:

1. Visit JobReadyIL.com on your computer or mobile device
2. Click the green button labeled “Access free online job training”
3. Follow the prompts to register (a valid email address is required)

Job Ready Illinois is available at no cost to anyone and is especially helpful for Illinois residents working to meet the SNAP work requirement.

Questions?

• For questions about the platform: Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For SNAP benefits support: Visit your local Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) or call the ABE Customer Service line at 1-800-843-6154

We encourage you to explore this resource and share it with others who may benefit. Click on Job Ready Illinois flyer for more information Job Ready Illinois flyer.

ECIAAA serves Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, Macon, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby and Vermilion counties.