In 2015, Diana and Charles Cox embarked on a road trip across the Southwest to find a retirement destination. They visited Santa Fe, Sedona, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. After living in San Jose, Calif. for almost 20 years, they were considering a move due to rising living costs and dropping income. Ms. Cox, a biotech patent attorney, was nearing retirement, and her husband, a 71-year-old contractor, had already retired. Phoenix, with its lower expenses, convenient international airport, and access to healthcare, won them over. They purchased a home in a 55-plus community in suburban Goodyear, Ariz., in 2016. However, their plans to spend summers in the Bay Area were disrupted by the pandemic, Mr. Cox’s prostate cancer treatment, and the need to care for Ms. Cox’s father. As more older Americans are exposed to extreme heat due to the aging population, migration to heat-prone areas, and climate change, the Coxes find themselves enduring long, miserable summers in Goodyear.
Phoenix, a popular retirement destination, has experienced an increase in the number of days with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. This year, the city had already surpassed its average of 108 days by July 31. The Coxes have found the summer in Goodyear to be unbearable, and their living conditions worsened as a delayed home renovation project forced them to live in their R.V. for three months without adequate air conditioning. Extreme heat can be particularly dangerous for seniors, who are more vulnerable due to age-related health conditions and reduced ability to tolerate high temperatures. The risk is compounded by the growing elderly population in states like Arizona, Nevada, and Texas, as well as the rising temperatures caused by climate change. Seniors’ bodies are less efficient at regulating body temperature, and they may face challenges in seeking relief from extreme heat.
According to a recent study, extreme heat is the deadliest form of weather in the United States. Brian Stone, Jr., an environmental planning professor at Georgia Tech, warns that major blackouts during powerful heatwaves, like the ones experienced recently in Detroit, Atlanta, and Phoenix, could be catastrophic. The study estimates that in Phoenix alone, more than 13,000 older people could die due to intense heat. However, these extreme conditions are unlikely to deter older adults from migrating to popular retirement destinations such as Arizona and Florida, because they prioritize cost of living and proximity to family over the potential risks associated with heatwaves.
Despite the challenges, retirees like the Coxes are adapting. They have installed solar panels on their home, plan to purchase a backup battery, and have a generator for their R.V. In case of blackouts, Ms. Cox always carries water with her. However, she still yearns for the cooler temperatures and ocean breezes of the Bay Area, reminiscing about the zero days San Jose has experienced this year with temperatures over 100 degrees. If they had the means, Ms. Cox would move back to the California coast, where she prefers being able to open the windows.