The weather in Sydney was so muggy on Wednesday that the MacGillivray Guest Home brought out the kiddie pool to let residents cool off by dipping their feet in.
Sister Claire Beaton is in her mid-nineties and said she's never liked the humidity. She pointed out how it's more difficult to cope with now that she can't just hop in her car and head to the beach.
"I find it difficult to cope with the humidity,” Beaton said. "Especially my bedroom, with the closed window. It isn't very cool in my room, actually."
For summer students working at the nursing home, it's hot and sticky work helping the elderly stay comfortable.
"It's a lot. It's a lot to work in,” said Bradie MacKay. "It gets very hot upstairs, with all the residents and trying to keep them cool enough (while) making sure they're not too cold, because when they're too cold then we get too hot.”
Halifax-area registered psychologist Dayna Lee-Baggley said while there actually isn't a lot of research that shows weather impacts mood, aside from seasonal affective disorder when it gets dark out early, there's no doubt that grey skies and constant rain can make people blue.
"The expectation that we should be enjoying summer, that expectation has a huge impact on our mood,” said Lee-Baggley. "The exact same amount of rain, when it came when there were forest fires we were all delighted and relieved. Now when it comes, we're disappointed and frustrated."
Since we can't control the weather, what can we do?
Lee-Baggley says to make it a point to get out and do things, even if it isn't a perfect day for it.
"Just to make sure that we continue with sufficient activity, because we know that the amount of activity we do really does have an impact on our mood,” Lee-Baggley said. “There's lots of things we can still do in cloudy and rainy weather, socializing being one."
Back at the nursing home, that isn't quite as much of an option as it is for most people.
For now, staff are doing their best to help with things like popsicles and patio time.
"When you're past 90, there isn't much you can do except to be there to grin and bear it,” said Beaton.
