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Five Sun Protection Safety Tips for Seniors

BY KURT SAPP, ADMINISTRATOR, SEMINOLE SHORES LIVING CENTER, NORTON SHORES

It’s normal to want to spend more time outside during summer. The weather is warmer, and the days are longer. While the warm sun may feel great on your skin, it often causes more harm than good. The sun emits harmful UV rays that damage the skin. Continual sun damage can result in more troublesome skin conditions, including skin cancer.

Seniors and Skin Cancer. Older adults are at higher risk of developing skin cancer for various reasons:

• Damage from UV rays builds up over time. Seniors have lived longer, so they have been exposed to more UV rays.

• The baby boomer generation didn’t grow up wearing sunscreen. During their youth, it wasn’t uncommon to apply baby oil before laying in the sun.

• With age, the body’s ability to find and destroy cancer cells decreases.

Regardless of how you cared for your skin in the past, you can still benefit from protecting your skin today. By using these UV safety tips, you reduce further damage to your skin.

5 UV Safety Tips for Seniors

1. Wear sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen is an excellent way for seniors to protect their skin from the sun. Sunscreen works by blocking and absorbing UV rays. This helps to combat both UVA and UVB rays, which contribute to skin cancer, sunburns, and other types of sun damage. Because the sun can damage the skin in just 15 minutes, apply sunscreen even if you are only going to be outside for a few minutes. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when using sunscreen:

• Wear sunscreen every day

• Choose SPF 30 sunscreen or higher

• Reapply sunscreen every two hours

2. Protect your eyes. In addition to guarding your skin, it’s equally important to protect your eyes from UV radiation. Extended exposure to the sun’s UV rays has been linked to various types of eye damage including cataracts and macular degeneration. Wearing sunglasses can protect your eyes. Consider the following when purchasing sunglasses:

• Choose a pair that blocks 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays

• Select close-fitting wrap-around frames so your eyes are guarded from every angle

• Try them on to make sure they don’t slide down your nose

3. Wear protective clothing. Wearing protective clothing can be an effective way for seniors to preserve their skin during the summer. By covering the entire body with clothing, the sun’s rays have to travel through an additional layer before reaching the skin. A few types of clothing that help protect the skin include:

• Clothing specially designed for sun protection

• Long sleeves and pants to cover more skin

• Darker or brighter colors because they absorb more UV rays than lighter colors

4. Stay in the shade. It’s helpful for seniors to avoid the sun as much as possible, especially between 10 am and 2 pm. During these times, the UV index is higher, meaning there is a greater chance for sunburn. If you need to be outside, do your best to stay in the shade. While the shade won’t guard against all of the sun’s harmful rays, some protection is better than none. Here are a few things to keep in mind when using shade as sun protection:

• Choose large umbrellas as opposed to smaller ones

• Sit under trees with large spreads or trees near other trees or buildings

• Avoid using shade as your only form of protection

5. Have your skin examined. Regardless of how careful you are about protecting your skin from the sun, you will still benefit from examining your skin throughout the year. The earlier you find skin cancer, the easier it is to treat. If you notice any new moles or skin discoloration, bring it up to your doctor. It’s also a good idea to have your skin examined by a health care provider annually.

Protect Your Skin Year-Round. It’s essential to protect your skin throughout the year, not just during the summer months. Even when it’s cloudy or cold, the sun still emits UV rays. These rays easily peek through clouds and are often masked by cold weather. Seniors can minimize their risk by employing sun safety tips year-round.

Seminole Shores Assisted Living Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle. UV safety is only one part of healthy aging. At Seminole Shores Assisted Living, a Heritage Senior Community, we encourage seniors to live balanced and productive lives. Contact us today to learn more about our living options.


Seminole Shores Assisted Living Center, located in Norton Shores, Michigan, gives seniors the opportunity to be independent while knowing that assistance is available to serve them whenever they need it. The center offers housekeeping, laundry, medication management, 24 hour care, three home-cooked meals a day and a full activity and event program. A pet-friendly community, Seminole Shores Assisted Living Center is owned and operated by Heritage Property Management Inc., located in Grand Haven, Michigan. Heritage Property Management Inc. is a family-owned company that operates nine assisted living homes and five independent living homes across the state of Michigan. Learn more at seminoleshoresalc.com and call (231) 780-2944 for a tour.

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Contents:

EVENTS
Explore a Universe of Stories with Hackley Public Library’s annual summer reading program. Plus: Author Pamela Cameron, Whiskey Charmers, Hogwarts Escape Room and more! Discover it here. VIDEO!

FESTIVAL
The White Lake Area Arts and Crafts Festival is Father's Day weekend, June 15 and 16. Enjoy hand-made arts and crafts, plus music with Mike Snell, Plain Jane Glory, and Vincent Hayes! Find out more here. VIDEO!

HOMES
You like the open window look, but with bright sun your room is still uncomfortable. What do you do? Decorator Carol Beatty of Quigley Draperies offers ideas to control bright sun and go from glare to glow. VIDEO!

SENIORS
It’s normal to want to spend more time outside during summer, but summer sun can cause more harm than good. Kurt Sapp of Seminole Shores Living Center suggests five sun protection safety tips for seniors here!

HOMES
If you are considering buying a home, you may be confused about how much you need to come up with for your down payment to secure a mortgage. Realtor Nancy Bierenga's informative article has the answers.

COMMUNITY
Take it outside this summer! Get some fresh air and help your community! Christine Robere of United Way of the Lakeshore looks at fundraising events that also celebrate the beauty of our lakeshore.

LAKESHORE STAR GAZER
This month, clear skies are frequent and contain many wonderful delights for sky watchers, including four planets in the evening sky. Astronomer Jonathan Truax is your guide! VIDEO!

BUSTER KEATON
Buster’s film Cops is about a man who can not win, even though his intentions are good. The character is comedically pursued by hundreds of policemen! See Cops, complete and online here! VIDEO!

CARTOONS
Once color came to movies, early animation artists loved playing with the design potential presented by spring: bright flowers, blue skies, butterflies, and cute animals. See two of 1933's best here! VIDEO!

EVENTS CALENDAR
Don't miss a thing this month with Muskegon County's best online events calendar, courtesy of Hackley Public Library!

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