My 90 yr. old mother is living with my husband and me. She has her chair by the sliding glass door which I like leave open for fresh air and a cool breeze, but not too cool. She is always cold. With summer coming I like to open up the house in the morning. It doesn't help when I have hot flashes and I'm just warm all the time. Why is she so cold all the time? Even when it is hot. She does take a lot f Tylenol for pain. Could that be it or is it something else. I hope someone has an answer because I am ready to move her to assistant living. She does have dementia, maybe the 2nd stage. But she drives me crazy sometimes. I have a choice to take in my grandson who is 10 yrs old with ADHD, bipolar and depression. Which would be worse to deal with? I also have mild depression. Thanks and have a great day
A bad thing is that many older people won't wear jackets or use blankets to stay warm. If it is their house, chances are great they will just turn the thermostat up. One of my favorite examples was a story of a family going to visit Grandma during a blizzard in the north. The kids wore their shorts. :) I can relate.
Around here I keep the vents to my room and my rabbits' room closed. That way she can have her heat and I can hide out in my cooler quarters. I dread summers here, though. It is always a battle when I need air conditioning. I do the best I can for me and my rabbits one day at a time.
So just provide your mom some sweaters and afghans to put over her. Or even consider a heating blanket for her. You can be comfortable and so can she!
In the winter, it gets tougher because it is cold. I bought the electric throws. My mom loves hers, and Dad refuses to use it (dementia----he worries incessantly about fire). I bundle him up in woolens and we do put up the heat----it's just never on high enough to suit him. Sigh.
Good luck!
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