Services available for Carson City seniors during heatwave
Temperatures above 100 degrees will be hitting the capital city this weekend and continuing through at least Tuesday, putting certain groups at risk of illness. Those groups include senior citizens, especially home-bound seniors.
According to Michael Salogga, business manager for the Carson City Senior Center, the best choice for seniors in the area to stay cool is to come to the senior center, which is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We have all of our regular activities and our lunch program, and it’s always nice and cool in the building,” said Salogga.
Any senior 60 or over can come to the center during business hours, but for those at home, the Senior Center has also joined forces with Roper's Heating and Air Conditioning for the KOLO 8 Fan Drive to provide free fans to any senior who requests one.
To receive a fan, a senior simply needs to head down to the Senior Center, located at 911 Beverly Drive in Carson City, and speak to someone at the front desk who will provide them with a new fan.
Those seniors who are home-bound haven’t been forgotten, however, as they are particularly vulnerable to the heat.
According to Salogga, through the Meals on Wheels program, drivers provide a fresh meal along with a wellness check Monday through Friday, and have developed meaningful relationships with those on the program.
To learn more about the Senior Center and its services, please visit https://www.carsoncityseniorcenter.org/
NV Energy released a statement to consumers that stated that they are fully prepared to meet the energy needs of the region due to recent upgrades to their power plants, as well as adding more energy capacity to their system through new solar projects.
However, they recommend taking steps to keep bills lower during the summer heat, including:
— Keeping your thermostat set at 78 degrees when at home, and a few degrees higher at night or when you aren’t home.
— Closing the blinds and drapes during the day to keep the heat out.
— Using your dishwasher, laundry machine and dryer as late in the evening as possible, as using these appliances adds heat to your home and makes your AC work harder.
— Using ceiling fans to cool you while in a room, but making sure to turn them off when you leave, as fans cool people, not rooms.
Visit https://www.nvenergy.com/save-with-powershift for more tips and tools on how to stay cool while lowering your energy usage.