The Growing Health Risks of Extreme Heat for Older Adults in Cities

The U.S. population is aging rapidly and increasingly vulnerable to the health hazards of extreme weather caused by climate change. By 2030, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that more than 21 percent of the U.S. population will be over 65, and older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history.

At the same time, climate change is producing more frequent and intense heat waves, air quality emergencies, and other extreme weather events. Older adults are more vulnerable and less resilient to these combined stresses, due to underlying health issues and limited economic resources—as a result, 82 to 92 percent of annual heat mortality occurs in individuals over age 60.

Climate stresses are magnified in urban areas. In cities, climate stresses can be exacerbated by the urban heat island effect and proximity to flood zones. As a result, those aged 65 and over account for more heat-related hospitalizations than any other group.

Mission, Vision, and Core Values

Our mission is to protect vulnerable older adults from the effects of extreme heat events through interdisciplinary applied research on risks and technology-enabled interventions. We envision a future where all older adults can safely adapt to and thrive during extreme heat events, supported by equitable and effective interventions coordinated across sectors, sites, and systems.

Core Values

• Evidence-based: We ground solutions in rigorous research and evaluation.
• Equity: We prioritize vulnerable populations and address systemic disparities.
• Innovation: We leverage digital tools and novel data sources to develop effective and scalable solutions.
• Integration: We bridge silos between clinical medicine, public health, and urban systems engineering.
• Collaboration: We initiate and nurture partnerships across sectors and institutions.

Research for Impact

The initiative draws on expertise in medicine, public health, digital health, operations research, and urban systems. It conducts research and develops evidence-based interventions that integrate digital technologies, policy tools, and built environment designs.

Mobilizing New Data Streams

We leverage many new and underutilized sources that can improve how we measure health risks and health impacts of climate stress, including healthcare claims records, mobile and wearable devices, and large-scale anonymized human mobility data.

Informing New Models

These new data allow us to answer under-explored questions about unseen health impacts from climate stress, factors influencing care-seeking decisions, and alternatives people utilize for receiving or providing care during severe weather.

Designing New Interventions

Our data and models inform the design and implementation of interventions that combine medical, digital, policy, and built environment assets to target the most vulnerable segments of the older-aged population.

Initiative Partners

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the Cornell University Office of Research & Innovation under 2023 Multi-Investigator Seed Grant #1282.