Room temperature

[suzywoozie]

Hello all,

New to forum so just wanted to say hello to everyone...I am reading through lots of posts and already finding lots of helpful advice, so thank you already! My Dad has recently moved in with us, he is 80. I am worried about so many of the odd things he says and does, but I am not going to list them all now as I don't think I would every stop typing, so I am hoping it's ok to ask for advice in small chunks!

I know that older people feel the cold more, and because of this we have had the heating on for Dad at night as he said he felt cold...it was too hot for us but we just turned the radiators off in other rooms apart from his. My actual worry is that he is getting too hot. Thing is that unless the radiator in his room is hot, he THINKS he is cold, whether he is or not. Last night I heard him get up for the toilet and an hour later he was still moving around his room...I went to see if all was OK..the room was absolutely boiling hot, he was wearing a thermal vest, shirt, thick jumper and a wooly hat! I asked if he was OK and he said that he woke and the bed was wet but it's ok now...he had towels all over the bed and pillow. I felt the bed and it was bone dry. I touched his arm and neck and he was really hot. I suspect that what may be happening is that he is getting too hot in bed and sweating, then when it evaporates he starts to feel cold? I tried to explain that the room is very hot but he simply cannot understand. My question is, does anyone know how warm the room of an elderly person should be? I don't want him to get cold, but then again I'm sure that being too hot is not good for him either.

Sorry I had intended this to be a short question.

Many thanks
Sue

 

[BeckyJan]

Hello:
I think this is a wonderful question to put to TP - how I wish I knew the answer. My husband goes from hot to cold for no obvious reason. I do hope you get some good replies.

 

[Nan2seven]

Hi, Suzywoozie, and welcome to TP.

I'm afraid I don't have an exact answer to your question. My husband Brian (78) also feels the cold quite often - a breeze is always "a cold draught" etc. - but fortunately he is more ready to be guided by me as to what to put on. I agree that your dad sounds to have too much on at night. Has he in fact been getting himself dressed, not knowing what the time was? Brian went through a phase of that, dressing at three in the morning. In the end I moved all his clothes into another room, "out of sight, out of mind".

He usually wears both vest and pajamas, but tonight it is incredibly mild and he decided not to wear anything but vest and pants. (And he will pad along to the bathroom about three times through the night as well.) BUT - and this will perhaps make you smile - he does like to keep his socks on because he says the bathroom floor always feels cold - carpet everywhere else.

Hope you get some more answers posted in reply to your question.

Love, Nan XXX

 

[Margaret W]

Oh crikey, I'm a cold fish. Poor circulation. Almost hate going to bed on cold nights, I can't sleep. Most people get into bed and warm up - I go colder and colder. I only "survive" with an electric blanket. The room is warm when I go to bed, but the heating switches off almost at once, and I get into a nice warm bed and by the time I am asleep I am still warm and stay so for a while.

If I were to get up a few hours later, I wouldn't like the room to be stone cold, so perhaps the heating could be left on in his room, but at a lower temperature, say 60 degrees? That takes the chill off, and he might not feel any difference when he gets back to bed.

I understand that Down duvets are much better at adjusting to body temperature. They cost more, but may be worth it. You can also get electric blankets that can be used all night (and even electric duvets - which might be safer if he is likely to wet the bed), so that when he gets up in the night he goes back to a warm bed.

But if he's happy with sweating and it doesn't make him uncomfortable, I'd just accept it. Perhaps check with the medics if overheating poses a physical problem.

Hope you find a solution.

Margaret

 

[Goingitalone]

I would suggest that 21C is about right and that is what I advise my brother to keep the house at for Mum.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to get one of those teddies you can warm in the microwave for him to cuddle? They have wheat in them and seem to stay warm most of the night if they are kept in the bedclothes.

It is a hard one and I suspect you are right about him getting too hot.

Does he drink a lot of fluid? It can be just as dangerous to be too hot as too cold.

Hugs,

Maggie

 

[maryw]

Just wanted to mention that dementia can affect temperature control. We noticed this with my Mum, on a freezing cold day she would complain of it being hot and sit with a fan blowing on to her. She also dressed inappropriately for the weather. I think we just accepted it, but did check if her hands were not too hot or cold.

 

[normelle]

Too hot

Just like you to know if you dont alraedy,that help the aged etc,can send you a free romm tempature card,which indicates when room is too hot or cold.we have got one,but dave still always wears his socks in bed even in summer,if thats what keeps him happy thats a bonus.sometimes he gets mixed up with clothing,i.e.puts shirts on top of pyjamas,that sort of thing,i used to worry ,but now,if thats what he wants ,so be it,saves a lots of stress and struggle just trying to explain,and you cant anyway.,but i agree to need to make things the right temp.good luck ,you are doing your best,you know that,love normelle

 

[Winnie Kjaer]

My husband feels the cold really badly too due to bad circulation and being on warfarin and I am just as bad as I suffer with Raynaud's Disease.

I keep the house at a permanent 21 in the night and 25 in the daytime. I never turn the central heating off, but use the thermostatic controls to adjust if necessary.

Even at that temperature I feel cold when I get up in the night and have an almighty sneezing fit. We both wear night socks all year round.

As long as he drinks plenty both day and if possible at night,he should be fine even if he perspires a bit. I take bottled water to bed and always drink at least one bottle during the night. I also have a hot water bottle every night except for extremely hot whether. As you can see he is by no means unique in feeling cold.

Sorry by the way for not welcomming you to TP first I hope you find it as beneficial as I do both for support and information.

Take care.

 

[Norrms]

Hiya

As an Alzheimers sufferer i have to say my tempreture can go up or down at the drop of a hat. My Dr calls this "Flushing" as i also go very red in the face for no apperent reason. Another time i always get hot is when i am eating and no matter what the weather i can sweat profusely. WHY?? I am so sorry, i have no answer for that, but i hope this helps in some way, best wishes, Norrms and famly xxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Grannie G]

Dhiren gets very hot after food Norms. After a meal, whatever the weather, he used to ask me to turn the heat down. Then after half an hour or so, complained it was too cold.

When he sat outside, even in the warmest weather he wore a fleece.

Now it all seems to have levelled out.

When we used to worry about the temperatures of babies, too hot not good, too cold not good, we were told to feel their tummies rather than their hands. A warm tummy meant a warm baby.

 

[thatwoman]

Hello and welcome! I'd mention your concerns to your GP. My Dad feels the cold terribly and can get overheated without realising it. We took him to the doctor a couple of years ago and he had blood tests that showed he had abnormal thyroid levels (can't remember which way. Oh God, is that a symptom for me!) and he has his levels checked every 6 months. The GP said that the lack of temperature control was a sign of something being wrong, but it was before we had a dementia diagnosis, so I'm not sure if it would still be relevant. Now I know that if he gets too hot Dad gets more confused. Yesterday it was very hot in the nursing home even with all the windows open and fans on, and the staff were having difficulties persuading some of the residents to take off cardigans and extra jumpers that some like to go and add throughout the day. The nurse in charge said that it can cause huge problems if people get overheated, but that they get very agitated if they're not allowed to have access to their own clothes. I was relieved for the first time that Dad can no longer walk so does not have that option.
I hope you get the support you need on here. It really does help to find that we are not alone in our worries!
Love, Sue x

 

[lin1]

hello Welcome 2 TP.

mum's tucked up nice and cosy and the room is hot we keep room temp 70-75. often any skin that is uncovered ie shoulders hands face and head are icy but body is warm

we have been told by Admiral nurse that dementia can affect persons natural temp control

 

[Loopiloo]

Hello Suzzywoozie and welcome to the Forum. I have only been on TP for about two weeks and have found it tremendously helpful in many ways.

My husband feels the cold and yesterday had a queer turn after being out in very hot weather dressed in heavy walking boots and thick socks (he used to be a hill walker), a thick sweater and a winter fleece. Plus a hat. It gave me a fright, thought he was having a mini-stroke. He wont wear summer shirts nor be parted from his winter sweaters. Sometimes it is easier (for both of you) to go with the flow.... Just make sure he does not feel hot to the touch - clammy, sweaty - and that he drinks enough fluids to avoid dehydration.

The over hot room is another matter, sorry I can't offer advice on that. I heat my husband's room before he goes to bed but turn off the heating once he is in bed. He has two duvets on his bed, a thinner summer one and a thicker one on top. Good luck.

 

[suzywoozie]

Room Temp - Thank You

Thanks so much to everyone for all the replies...some great information and tips.

 

[Canadian Joanne]

Hello Suzywoozie,
One thing I would like to say is if your father is sweating excessively he is obviously too hot. As the sweat evaporates, he thinks he's too cold. My mother used to do exactly the same thing. No amount of my explaining could make her understand that ANOTHER cardigan was not the answer. Plus I had my idiot aunt aiding & abetting my mother, which didn't help at all.

I would keep the room around 21º. I wouldn't want to go too much higher. It is most likely his dementia causing him to feel hot and cold. My concern is heat stroke, which is a very serious thing.

 

[suzywoozie]

Ah Joanne yes, that is EXACTLY what happens with Dad...gets to warm and sweats then it evaporates and thinks he is cold, I have tried to explain to him so many times but he just cannot understand! He gets really annoyed if the radiator in his room is not hot when he goes to bed..again, I've told him that if the temperature gets low then it will come on, but he simply cannot understand how thermostat works.

Thanks! It's so comforting to hear that it happens with others too.

Sue