There’s Plenty of Summer Left – AtlantiCare Reminds You to Keep it Safe

AtlantiCare’s Primary Care Plus, Specialty Care, Urgent Care, Trauma, Emergency, Heart, Stroke, and Cancer Care Institute teams want you to have a safe, happy, and healthy SUMMER OF FAMILY FUN.  

They offer these tips:  

Swim safely – Swim only in lifeguard-protected waters. Supervise children in or near water. Teach children to swim.  

Use headgear – Use protective headgear when participating in any activity with the potential for head injury.  

Manage medications – Keep and carry an updated list of prescription and over-the-counter medications you take. Store and take them as prescribed.  

Make sure to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 – Be sure you and your eligible family members are vaccinated and boosted. Avoid being around others if you are sick. Wear a mask when indoors in crowded situations.  

Eat well and hydrate – Enjoy Jersey Fresh produce as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water.  

Recognize stroke and heart attack symptoms – Every second counts. Dial 9-1-1 immediately for the following symptoms:  

Stroke  

· Numbness/weakness of face, arm, or leg  

· Sudden confusion, trouble speaking/understanding  

· Sudden trouble seeing  

· Sudden trouble walking  

· Dizziness  

· Loss of balance  

· Sudden severe headache with no known cause  

Heart attack  

· Chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back  

· Extreme fatigue  

· Shortness of breath  

· Discomfort in one/both arms; the back, neck, or jaw  

· Feeling of indigestion/upset stomach  

· Breaking into a cold sweat  

· Nausea/vomiting  

· lightheadedness  

Offer seniors assistance – Check on seniors to ensure they are cool, comfortable, eating well and drinking water, especially in extremely hot weather.  

Focus attention on children – If a child is missing, check the water first. Never leave children alone in vehicles or in or around water. Do not allow children to play in or near vehicles.  

Focus on the road – Refrain from doing anything distracting while driving. It takes less than three seconds for a distracted driver to crash, potentially leading to a critical injury or death.  

Avoid too much sun exposure – Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can lead to skin cancer. Use sunscreen with a sun-protection factor, or SPF, of at least 30. Make sure it gives you broad protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Use water-resistant sunscreen, which is less likely to wash off when you perspire. Remember to reapply!  

Make time for daily exercise – Walk, bike, dance – get out, or stay in, and move!  

Inspect and use child safety seats – It’s the law in New Jersey, children under eight years of age and who are 57 inches or less in height must ride properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat in the rear seat of the vehicle.  

Learn CPR – Cardiopulmonary resuscitation saves lives.  

Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks – It’s the law in New Jersey, and it’s the right thing to do. And if you’re crossing the street, use crosswalks and pay attention to moving vehicles.  

Fend off illnesses, scrapes, and bug bites – Wash hands frequently to ward off colds, sore throats and make sure you’re current with vaccines for flu and other illnesses. Clean food preparation surfaces. Use separate utensils for raw and cooked food to avoid food poisoning. Use bug repellent and check for ticks daily if outdoors.  

Understand surfing risks – Avoid large, rough waves and waves breaking into shallow water when body surfing. Always surf with a buddy and only in lifeguard-protected water with which you are familiar.  

Never mix alcohol with swimming, boating, driving, or other summer activities – Alcohol and summer activities can be a deadly combination. Alcohol impairs judgment and contributes to dehydration.  

Of course, even when you take steps to protect yourself, accidents and illnesses can still happen. Staying up to date with your routine wellness visits, and seeking urgent or emergency care when needed, will help ensure you can enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer that remain. Visit atlanticare.org, call 1-888-569-1000, or use the virtual telehealth option, so you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home—or your vacation spot! And always dial 9-1-1 if it’s a life-threatening emergency. AtlantiCare wishes you a happy and safe summer!