Elderly persons who receive hot tap water scalds not only face prolonged hospitalization, but also are at a 50% increased risk of dying from their burns. Individuals that are physically or mentally challenged are also at increased risk for severe hot tap water burns, with several injuries and even deaths occurring.

The Facts:

• Burns damage or destroy skin cells

• Deep burns damage or destroy muscle, fat and bone

• Elderly people have thinner skin than younger adults

• Elderly people’s skin burns at much lower temperatures than younger adults

• Elderly people’s skin burns faster than younger adult skin

• Elderly people are less likely to survive a severe burn than a younger adult

• 80% of geriatric burns occur in the home

• #1 cause of burns in elderly people is scalding

• Geriatric scalds destroy more layers of skin

• Hot steam and hot liquids are the most common cause of geriatric scalding

• Hot tap water main cause of scalding in elderly people

• Majority of hot tap water scalding in elderly people is caused by leaving elderly people unattended in a bathroom, putting elderly people in too hot a bath, or unattended elderly people in baths turning on hot water

• Some bathing scalding in elderly people are caused by inexperienced caregivers, faulty hot water tanks and shower water spikes

• Scalding in elderly people from shower water spikes are caused both others flushing toilets, using the washing machine or running another tap

• Most common kitchen scalding causes in elderly people are hot drinks, kettle water, teapot liquids, boiling liquids on stoves, and bad practices when heating liquids in a microwave

• Scalding can result in further physical injuries during older adult years when an elderly person cannot escape the source of the scalding (i.e., slipping – bone breakage, cuts and or bruises, head injuries, or death by drowning)

Sources: Alberta Municipal Affairs
Clinical Reference Systems
Person ALMS.Com