Skin Protection for Seniors in Alberta

Edmonton Senior Health  |  May 15, 2025

What Every Senior in Edmonton, AB, Needs to Know About Skin Health Ahead of the Summer Season

Skin protection for seniors: What do you need to know? There are obvious cosmetic benefits to taking good care of our skin. More importantly, good skincare plays a big role in our overall health, especially for seniors. Because of the natural changes that occur in skin as we age, the summer season can leave seniors even more vulnerable to its harmful effects. 

One of the biggest factors to consider is the effect of being outdoors—sun exposure, heat, and environmental conditions. With a little awareness and some simple, practical precautions, caregivers can help their senior loved ones safely enjoy the outdoors and all the fun activities that come with it.

The Importance of Skin Protection for Seniors

Our skin has many important functions. It serves to protect us from the environment, helps us control our body temperature, fluid and electrolyte balance, and through its nerve receptors, allows us to feel sensations like touch, pain, and pressure.

Over time, skin changes occur due to genetic makeup, nutrition, environmental and other factors like smoking, but the greatest single factor is sun exposure. 

Aging and Skin Protection for Seniors

With aging, the outermost layer of our skin thins and the number of cells that contain pigment decrease. The skin’s strength and elasticity also decreases, blood vessels in the middle layer become fragile, and the subcutaneous fat layer that provides padding and insulation reduces. Age also changes our glands. They produce less oil as we age making it more difficult to keep skin moist, and sweat glands produce less sweat making it harder to keep cool.

Wrinkles and sagging skin are among the most visible signs of growing older, but there are other common effects of age-related deterioration as well. Aging skin appears more pale and translucent, is more fragile and tears easily. 

The Effects of Sun on Senior Skin

Skin that has been exposed to the sun frequently and consistently produces a leathery, weather-beaten appearance and large pigmented spots called age spots, liver spots or lentigos, may also appear in sun-exposed areas. The most serious diseases directly related to sun exposure are skin cancers such as basal cell, squamous cell carcinoma, and the deadliest, melanoma which is much more likely to spread to other parts of the body when left untreated.

Sensitive Senior Skin

Older people bruise easily and may bleed under the skin, a condition known as senile purpura. The dwindling fat layer leaves senior skin at risk of injury and reduces his or her ability to maintain body temperature. The lack of natural insulation can cause hypothermia in air conditioning. Because seniors perspire less, it’s harder for them to keep cool and increases their risk for becoming overheated or developing heat stroke.

Senior Skin Disorders

More than 90% of all older people have some type of skin disorder, too. Common difficulties include those caused by conditions such as blood vessel diseases like arteriosclerosis, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, nutritional deficiencies, obesity, reactions to medications, and allergies to plants, or other substances to name a few. 

While the effects of aging can’t be reversed, maintaining proper care means having healthy skin and more importantly, healthy senior people.

Here are seven tips for senior and skin protection:

#1. Opt to shower or bathe every other day to avoid dry skin:

Take a sponge bath on alternate days, cleansing gently with moisturizing soap or detergent-free cleansers that do not need to be rinsed. Such cleansers do the job of removing dirt and natural oils but don’t impact the natural acid balance of mature skin.

#2. Apply moisturizer on a daily basis:

Advanced skincare products that nourish the skin from the outside and deliver amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants and ingredients that are gentle and soothing make skin stronger and more resilient.

#3. Stay out of direct sunlight as much as possible:

To protect your senior’s skin from harmful UV rays, the American Cancer Society uses a catch phrase that can help your senior remember some of the key steps to protect him or herself when going out in the sun – “Slip! Slop! Slap! And Wrap!” Meaning, “Slip on a shirt. Slop on Sunscreen. Slap on a hat. And Wrap on sunglasses to protect the eyes and sensitive skin around them.”

#4. Keep hydrated and well fed:

Good nutrition and adequate fluids are especially important for seniors in the hot summer months. Dehydration increases the risk of skin injury.

#5. Protect fragile skin:

Take care to avoid injuries that can cut or tear fragile skin or caustic substances that can disrupt the skin’s protective barrier. Cover small wounds with band aids made for sensitive skin so as not to cause added injury when removing after wounds have healed.

#6. Remember the special needs of seniors with common diseases like diabetes:

Diabetics are more prone to bacterial and fungal infections and itchy skin. Protecting the skin of your senior loved one, especially on extremities, is essential.

#7. Avoid alcohol-based solutions:

astringents, strong bacterial soaps and products that are harsh and damaging for older skin. Hand-sanitizers can be especially drying and using a hand moisturizer afterwards can be important.

Cook-outs, trips to the beach, a day at the pool, walks in the park, fishing at the lake, and other outdoor activities are all part of summertime traditions that everyone enjoys, especially seniors. Most involve the potential to soak up the sun. Think ahead and anticipate your senior loved ones’ needs to protect his or her skin beforehand to assure that summer fun is worry-free.

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is Proud to Offer a Wide Range of Home Senior Care Services

Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness. 

Top-Notch Home Healthcare for Seniors in Edmonton, Alberta

Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a broader range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can provide 24-hour care and more!

Helping Seniors Age-in-Place with Companionship Care and Interactive Caregiving™

Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our client’s needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind, empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life. 

Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.

Affordable and Client-Directed Homecare is Available for Qualifying Albertans

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program Offered by Alberta Health Services. 

What is the Client Directed Home Care Invoicing Program (CDHCI)?

CDHCI is a great program provided by Alberta Health Services (AHS), allowing clients to choose an approved agency like Comfort Keepers Edmonton for Personal Care, Respite Care and Homemaking needs. The chosen agency can then bill AHS directly for services rendered for approved hours through Alberta Blue Cross. Read more about the program HERE.

Accredited Home Care Edmonton

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton was awarded the “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” seal by Accreditation Canada. This honour demonstrates Comfort Keepers’ commitment to offering safe, high-quality home care to its senior clients in Edmonton, AB.

To learn more about senior in-home care in Edmonton, contact the Comfort Keepers® office. Our service territory includes Edmonton, Devon, Sherwood Park, Stony Plain and surrounding areas, contact the Comfort Keepers Edmonton office at 780-465-4665.

---

References

• ‘Aging Changes in Skin,’ from Minaker KL. Common clinical sequelae of aging, published on MedlinePlus (http://www.medline.com)
• ‘Skin Care Benefits Overall Health For Seniors,” published by ARAcontent on Princeton Online, (http://www.princetononline.com)
• ‘Sun Safety: Melanoma,’ published by ARAcontent, Princeton Online, (http://www.princetononline.com)
• ‘Skin Cancer Prevention and Early Detection,’ published by the American Cancer Society online, (http://www.americancancersociety.com)

Share This Post: