Summer to Autumn - Changing Temperature

[Cardinal]

My husband has mild Alzheimer’s. All summer he wore shorts and short sleeve tops. The weather has now gotten colder. This morning it was 2c. He refuses to wear warmer clothes. He says he can decide for himself what he wants to wear. He keeps putting on what he wore all summer then complains that he’s cold and turns up the heat. If I let him do what he wants I get hot because he has the heat turned up and I also have to put on summer clothes. Then I have to change my clothes when I want to go out. I feel like I’m living in a fantasy world where it’s summer all year long inside the house but autumn outside the house. It’s driving me nuts. How have other people handled this?

 

[scotlass]

my husband's always cold.....sits wrapped up with tee shirt jumper and fleece....heating up to 24....then I turn it down because I'm sweating, just another symptom of this horrible disease, I used to think alzheimers meant that your memory gradually got worse, but there are so many other things happen, Ive learned a lot since visiting this forum. what about askng your O H to " try on this jumper, or trousers...just to see if they still fit "....he might just leave them on... It's not easy...

 

[Louise7]

Hello @Cardinal this can be tricky to deal with, but when mum was living at home we used to put spring/summer clothes away, usually in the wardrobe in the spare room or in a suitcase on top of the wardrobe, and replace with more suitable clothing. Then when the weather got warmer we put the autumn/winter clothes away and brought out the spring/summer clothes again. It meant that mum could still have a choice but the clothing choices were more 'weather appropriate'. I usually said something along the lines of 'I've sorted the wardrobe out mum and put in your new autumn/winter collection'. Now she is in a care home we do the same. Not sure if this would work with your husband but might be worth a try? As already mentioned, those with dementia can feel cold even when the temperature is warm so there were always some cardigans/fleeces left in the wardrobe all year round.

 

[Cardinal]

Thank you for your replies. @scotlass I tried doing what you suggested and asked him to try on some trousers and jumper to see if they still fit. It’s been 2 hours and he still has them on. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Grannie G]

Thank you for your replies. @scotlass I tried doing what you suggested and asked him to try on some trousers and jumper to see if they still fit. It’s been 2 hours and he still has them on. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Well done both.

 

[tonebear]

My husband has mild Alzheimer’s. All summer he wore shorts and short sleeve tops. The weather has now gotten colder. This morning it was 2c. He refuses to wear warmer clothes. He says he can decide for himself what he wants to wetar. He keeps putting on what he wore all summer then complains that he’s cold and turns up the heat. If I let him do what he wants I get hot because he has the heat turned up and I also have to put on summer clothes. Then I have to change my clothes when I want to go out. I feel like I’m living in a fantasy world where it’s summer all year long inside the house but autumn outside the house. It’s driving me nuts. How have other people handled this?

Hi Cardinal, My wife has been cold for several years now ( at least that's what she says), her hands and feet are cold. Bad circulation i think. BUT she knows where the thermostat is. For some unfathomable reason she will feel the radiators and if they are cold ( because the the thermostat has got to temperature) she will turn the thermostat up, not too bad but she is blind and can not see the numbers, so it gets wacked up too 27/30c. But I have a solution, I know where the control switch is, so i turn the central heating off at the mains until it gets back to normal. Which means she can play with the thermostat as long as she likes. Tee hee. Of course you just have to grit your teeth and not get annoyed. Try the deep breathing exercise. Right, deep breath, and start another day.

 

[tonebear]

Thank you for your replies. @scotlass I tried doing what you suggested and asked him to try on some trousers and jumper to see if they still fit. It’s been 2 hours and he still has them on. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Whee Ain't it grand when something works.