The elderly population is the most vulnerable to the dangers of heat. The elderly suffer due to the diminished ability to perspire. Since the function of perspiration is to provide evaporation, which in turn provides cooling, the elderly have a reduced capacity to release heat from the body (reference) .
Coupled with the fact that many of the air conditioners installed were installed to efficiently cool air by a 20 degree split and increased air temperatures have left many spaces in the rust-belt inadiquately cooled to accomidate the aging population. Emergency Spot Coolers will begin to fill a on-demand service accomidating homes of the elderly. Much as medical oxegen makes house calls so to will portable air conditioners. Currently some of the bigger players shun making house calls because of billing problems as well as the incovienince of serving many small customers. I think that the change is inevitable and it will be the industry challenge to make sure that enough portables are available at peak times at an affordable price. One model that lends itself well to maintaining redundant air conditioning is the assisted living centers. Nursing homes can rent multiple units when the temperature spikes and the high concentration of elderly creates efficiencies of scale that the individual home owner can not hoep to match.
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