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Chicago Seniors Get Heat Wave Lifeline
30 Jun
Summary
- Nonprofits are conducting wellness checks via phone calls.
- Seniors are being checked for working air conditioning and water.
- The current heat wave recalls the deadly 1996 heat event.
Nonprofit organizations are actively assisting senior citizens in the Chicago area amidst a severe heat wave. Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is making extensive phone calls to check on elderly residents, verifying they have essential supplies like water and functioning air conditioning. Program director Heath Dudzinski emphasized the importance of these personal connections.
The current extreme temperatures, with heat indexes in the triple digits, evoke memories of the deadly 1996 heat wave that claimed hundreds of lives in Chicago. Dudzinski highlighted that such a tragedy occurred partly because there was no coordinated effort to check on vulnerable individuals, especially older adults without nearby friends or family.
