Older Adults’ Air Conditioning Access Should Be a Policy Priority, Researchers Find

Policy reform is urgently needed to assist older adults who live in southern U.S. cities and who experience higher-than-expected heat-related health issues if they don’t have adequate access to air conditioning, according to a new study by University of Waterloo researchers appearing in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.  

The findings of the study, titled “Sociodemographic Determinants of Extreme Heat and Ozone Risk Among Older Adults in 3 Sun Belt Cities,” led the researchers to suggest that policymakers mitigate extreme heat conditions and adverse health conditions for older adults by requiring air conditioning in all new residential home construction or by addressing the high costs of operating air conditioners.  

“We're very aware of wintertime issues and extreme cold, but it's time that we start looking at policies for addressing extreme heat as well,” said Peter Crank, PhD, a professor in the university’s Faculty of Environment. “We have to consider planning for places that are historically hot, but also other parts across Canada and the U.S. which have seen significant heat wave events in the past few years.”

The researchers analyzed the various health issues of 900 older adults who live in Phoenix, Houston, and Los Angeles, three U.S. cities that lie within the Sun Belt where daytime temperatures often surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius).  

While most of those adults surveyed have air conditioning installed, they still experience health issues due to extreme heat or ozone due to the higher cost of using their air conditioning or being able to afford repairs to their units.  

“It’s not overly shocking that many people would say that they have felt some sort of heat-related symptoms,” said Crank. “What was really surprising to us is how much the physical and building characteristics play a role in older adults’ perception of their well-being.”

The study also found that renovating homes to address weather-related issues such as weatherstripping around doors, increasing insulation and upgrading energy efficiency could help mitigate extreme heat-related health risks. However, the researchers believe the greatest impact to reducing those health issues would be policy reform to improve access to central air conditioning in homes.  

“We need intentional policy and planning to address the heat risk among older adults,” Crank said. “These policies span revising building codes for new housing units, setting expectations for upgrading existing rental units and revising utility company guidelines for delinquent pay.”

The researchers plan to share their findings with government agencies, health networks, and advocacy groups across the U.S. and Canada.  

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The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences is a peer-reviewed publication of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA’s structure includes a nonpartisan public policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and GSA is also home to the National Center to Reframe Aging and the National Coordinating Center for the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research.