I am taking mom for a visit to another neurologist. She has dementia. Mom has no behavioral problems. She just like to sleep after her meals. They get her up at 6am every morning. She complains of being fatigue a lot. She is 88 years old. Her confusion is advancing a little. A lot of her tiredness comes from some of the side effects from her medication.
People who are elderly are often cold. Left to her own devices, my mother would crank the heat up so that it was often 88 degrees in her apartment in Independent Living. This was very bad for her heart condition and high blood pressure. She is actually much healthier now that she's in a nursing home where the temperature is regulated by staff. And yes, she wears a sweater, summer and winter.
I would expect the neurologist then to explain what has been prescribed for your mother and why, and to consider what alternatives might perhaps improve her quality of life. But you will have to accept the likely possibility that there aren't any better options, and make it clear that you do understand that this might be so.
I am sure that what the staff have told you about the state regulating air conditioning in residential care settings is true; at least I am sure that it will be true that the state sets minimum standards for the quality of people's environment. I doubt if it is literally the case that some bureaucratic state official keeps the air conditioning controls under lock and key. If you think that the memory care unit, which is after all your mother's and the other residents' home, is consistently too cold for their comfort, then doggedly pursue the matter through the facility's complaints procedure. It won't hurt if other residents' families and visitors agree with you?
One reason that I say this is that after being on Cymbalta, which is for anxiety, pain and depression, my cousin was taken off the medication. The facility rep thought she was not benefiting from it. WRONG. She soon became very unhappy, anxious, crying, depressed.....it was terrible. I immediately discussed her condition with the facility staff and her doctor and she was placed back on the Cymbalta. She soon returned to a good state of contentment. We now know she needs it.
Maybe your mom does need a nap. Is there any reason the facility will not allow this? At age 88, I would think she might like a nap in the afternoon.