Coverage of aging is supported in part by AARP Arizona
Heat is deadly for older adults experiencing homelessness, which means figuring out ways to cool off this population quickly and safely in Phoenix.
Phillip Scharf is the interim CEO of the Central Arizona Shelter Services, known as CASS. He says they’re looking at installing foot baths, specifically for the seniors who come in.
"As they come in, how is there a spot for them to just kind of dump their belongings, sit for a second, regain composure, cool off and then go through processes," said Scharf.
Which can take several minutes. Scharf also thinks the foot baths could help de-escalate potential conflicts.
"If somebody comes in, and they're a 10 out of 10, and they're hot … like if I’m hot and angry, every little thing starts setting me off. And so we're also looking for ways to make sure that we're able to control the temperature of the personalities as well as the temperatures of the body so that we can have a wonderful facility for everyone," Scharf said.
CASS can house upwards of 600 individuals, including older adults.
