When older adults meet someone, they always talk about the weather and weather forecasts. The obsession of this phenomenon is not a new thing for the seniors.
Whenever seniors meet each other or address some young adults, the discussion on weather is a must for them. Sometimes the weather debate is an ice breaker for the seniors. And in other cases, the weather helps to start the conversation.
When seniors are asked why they talk about the weather all the time their answer was simple.- It is a polite way to start the conversation or take the conversation to the next level.
Talking about the weather in their daily conversations is not the only thing that makes them obsessed. There are many different reasons for seniors to think about the weather all the time. It is part of living their best life after 60.
Let’s look at more reasons to understand why seniors are obsessed with the weather all the time.
Table of Contents
Does the weather affect the Elderly?
Seniors and older people are the most affected by the weather.
When you are young, you don’t have to worry about the change in weather conditions as your body is capable of fighting the change in temperature and humidity.
For example, when the weather changes from normal to cold, young adults don’t find it challenging. But for the elderly to suffer a lot because of a simple 2-degree change in the environment.
You might have witnessed that when it is not that cold for you to wear an upper or a sweatshirt, you find some older adults around you wearing jackets and warm shoes.
Similarly, when the weather gets hot, older people suffer the most when it gets hot outside.
Ensuring proper diet and exercise are important for Seniors. And if they can not get out, equipment like indoor exercise bikes work great.
Change:
Older people do not like change at all. Whenever there is a change in the temperature settings or environment, older people react.
The weather is a natural phenomenon that keeps changing throughout the year. This constant change keeps the seniors haunting. And they have to think about the change, because of their inability to cope with it with their weak physical conditions. The difference in weather conditions makes them change their routine and their clothing.
How weather affects medically and physically in older age?
When the weather changes from normal to cold or normal to hot, your body takes some time to adjust to it. You have to cover your body with extra clothing when the weather changes from normal to cold, to save yourself from extreme temperatures and diseases.
Older people are more likely to catch flu and chest infections when there is a slight decrease in temperature.
They are also more sensitive towards heat and more likely to get heatstroke. An increase or decrease in temperature can cause serious and severe medical issues for seniors in their older age.
That’s why you would always see them curious about the weather.
Ritual:
When you do a particular activity for an extended period, that activity becomes your habit. And you do that activity effortlessly even without being under any pressure.
But when these habits prolong for more than a decade, this becomes a ritual.
For older people listening to and reading the news and information about the weather has become a sort of ritual that they have to include in their daily routine life.
When they don’t follow the weather news, they feel a void inside them, and they feel unfulfilled. This feeling of un-fulfillment makes them feel incomplete.
Social acceptance:
The most common item of interest for all seniors, no matter how much diverse background they cherish, is the weather.
While out having fun, or circled up playing cards, this weather discussion can go for hours, and they love to talk about it without breaking a sweat. When you are in a group and participate in a topic of interest to all the members, you feel socially acceptable.
This makes you feel like an essential member of that group, and you cherish the happy bonding.
Summary
Talking about the weather is not a cliché in seniors. For them, this is a natural conversation starter for them.
Weather is a frequent topic of interest for most seniors because of the reasons mentioned above. They look forward to getting out and test driving their new walker.
So next time, when the elderly talks to you about the weather, don’t get anxious. Enjoy the conversation.
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