Heating

macatac

Registered User
Nov 9, 2014
37
0
North Wales
Why is it,that my mum who is 83 complains every single day,saying she's cold,when my room thermometer says its too hot,and to turn heating down? I have had to have my central heating on 24/7 since she came to live with my partner and i. The heat makes us feel drained and sick. I'm only on welfare benefit,don't receive carers allowance,and my mum only occasionally will offer anything financially for things towards heating,food ect ect. My mum is not incapable of many things,but she hasn't even made herself a single cup of tea since the day she moved in.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
I can feel the resentment coming from you! It's understandable, but it is common for people with dementia to feel the cold more. She can't help it. If you can't afford to put the heating on higher, swaddle her in clothes and blankets. Why are you not on carers allowance? It's not means-tested though you can't earn more than £102 a week elsewhere and need to care for 35 hours a week. Have you got power of attorney? If not, look into doing it, because then you don't have to ask your mum for permission to chip in with the costs, you can organise a fair contribution from her money. Is she on attendance allowance? She will also qualify for a council tax reduction due to severe mental impairment.
 

brambles

Registered User
Sep 22, 2014
257
0
NW England
Hi Macatac,

I know the feeling. My mum lives alone, but I start stripping off as soon as I walk through her front door, the heat is overwhelming. When I stay overnight I often have to go and stand outside in order to try and cool down a little.

Her heating bills are eye watering.

Take Beates advise about attendance allowance etc. you shouldn't be out of pocket if your mum has the money to contribute to the bills.

Some nice warm throws or blankets for mum to wrap herself in and a hot water bottle or similar to tuck behind her back, may keep her feeling cosy and allow you to turn the thermostat down a little.

best wishes
brambles x
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,064
0
Salford
I think the feeling cold is more age related and the AZ just adds to it. At night an electric blanket works well and only costs pennies an hour to run, during the day is there a way to keep one room hot without overheating the rest of the house, turn down the valves on the radiators possibly?
K
 

mrjelly

Registered User
Jul 23, 2012
314
0
West Sussex
If your Mum has a favorite chair, perhaps you could install an infra-red radiant heater on the wall next to it. That would give her a warm spot to bask in without overheating everybody else.

A 600W unit run for 12 hours would cost around £1 a day to run. There are also 250W infra-red bulbs available, but perhaps they would not be powerful enough.
 

Emily M

Registered User
Jan 20, 2015
178
0
My mum is exactly the same and wraps herself up in hat and scarf, even in the summer. When I stayed recently the first thing I did in the bedroom is turn the radiator off. At night I had the bedroom windows wide open which helped me greatly. Her husband complains a lot about the bills, but I think he has got used to the heat.

It is correct that your mum should get Attendance Allowance, which is around £54 per week at the lower level, and a Council Tax reduction, due to mental impairment?

Your mother should be contributing to the weekly bills and I would tactfully ask her.

Beate is right to mention power of attorney. It is well worth sorting this out now as if your mum's condition deteriorates it will be much more difficult to deal with financial matters.
 

macatac

Registered User
Nov 9, 2014
37
0
North Wales
My mum does get AA, I'm not entitled to CA due to being on means tested benefit,although I'm entitled to whats called underlying entitlement. Yes, I probably am getting somewhat resentful. My life has been turned upside down. My mum is still awaiting an assessment by SS, and I'm still waiting for my care assessment. My mum wont stay indoors alone for two minutes, she is with us every single minute of every single day. When she has to go outdoors with us,she wont sit in the car for two minutes whilst we pop in to a shop. Out of the car she isn't great on her feet,although she uses a stick to aid her,so five to ten minutes later we have to be back in the car. I feel life now is just an existence.
 

Bambini

Registered User
Sep 8, 2014
32
0
Glad it's not me going mad. The lounge is always 33° and mum still says it's cold whilst the dog and I feel like we are in the tropics. This is of no help to you whatsoever, but I wasn't sure if this was an AZ symptom. Guess it is, so thank you x


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point
 

macatac

Registered User
Nov 9, 2014
37
0
North Wales
Have you thought of buying your mum a small electric heat pad, they are about the size of a hot water bottle, they have a cover on them and a quite long lead and are safe. You can adjust them with a switch they come with which is attached to the lead. It could be useful when your mum is sitting down in her chair.

Thanks, just ordered a heat pad from boots. Hoping this makes some difference, just enough to enable me to turn my heating down a little.
 

macatac

Registered User
Nov 9, 2014
37
0
North Wales
Glad it's not me going mad. The lounge is always 33° and mum still says it's cold whilst the dog and I feel like we are in the tropics. This is of no help to you whatsoever, but I wasn't sure if this was an AZ symptom. Guess it is, so thank you x


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point

Hoping to get my mum in to docs at some point this week. Will be mentioning this. Hope I don't just get fobbed off with, its because of her age!