Fans may not keep older adults cool during heat waves

In a small study of older adults experiencing extreme heat, electric fans didn't reduce core body temperature

A man sleeps next to an electric fan during a heat wave in Syria in July 2023.

To stay cool during heat waves, many people use electric fans. Here, in a school housing displaced people in northeastern Syria, a man rests next to a fan during a July 2023 heat wave. But electric fans alone may not offer much relief to older adults during extreme heat events.