Winter can present seniors and family caregivers with beauty, peace, and tranquility as well as some significant challenges. On the one hand, watching snowflakes fall outside the window or spending the holidays with friends and family can be consoling. However, even for those who prefer to stay inside, winter can present serious health risks for seniors.
Keep in mind that cold weather safety doesn’t begin and end at the front door this winter! The elderly people in your life need to be able to live safely, healthily, and comfortably both inside and outside. Finding and maintaining a safe home temperature for your elderly family members is especially important in this situation.
So, what is the ideal room temperature for an elderly person? How can you make sure the elderly are in a comfortable environment? After reading this article, I think you will discover the solution.
Read more: What Temperature Is Dangerous For Elderly: Cold Weather – Elder VIP
Why is Room Temperature Important?
Before we delve into which room temperatures you should be aware of and where, we, first of all, need to understand why room temperature for the elderly person is so important.
- The need to maintain body temperature: We find it more challenging to maintain body heat as we age. In other words, we lose heat much more quickly than a young person would. This is because there is less fat under our skin, which makes it harder for us to stay warm.
- Elderly people are sensitive to temperature changes: It can be dangerous for the temperature to drop or rise. The common cold, for instance, can much more easily turn into something concerning for those over a certain age, and a sudden chill in the room can cause respiratory issues and raised blood pressure, which could result in a stroke or a heart attack.
- It’s hard to notice: Adults over the age of 65 may occasionally fail to notice when their body temperature rises. Or growing, for that matter. It is very important to be aware of the fact that diseases like dementia and a wide range of medications may alter how the body experiences hot and cold temperatures.
What is the Ideal Room Temperature for An Elderly Person?
Many experts recommend keeping the thermostat set to 68-70 degrees During the winter, it is at or above Fahrenheit. One heating and air conditioning company recommends maintaining the indoor temperature between 68 and 74 degrees; similarly, the researchers behind that European study recommend that seniors keep the temperature at 68 degrees or warmer.
This mid-level temperature is something of a “Goldilocks” zone — not too hot, and not too cold. If you raise the ceiling too high, your loved one may be exposed to dry, hot air, which can encourage bacterial growth and cause illness; if you lower the ceiling too low, your loved one may be at risk of hypothermia and other chilly complications.
Of course, it’s important to check in with the elderly person’s loved one and see how they’re feeling. Keep in mind that there are a variety of other strategies, which we’ll go over below, that you can use to assist your loved one in staying warm during the winter.
To promote a more comfortable living environment, you may also want to take some basic steps, like equipping the elderly with a humidifier (to counter the effects of dry air), adding houseplants and flowers in their space (which can help purify the air in the home), and making sure that their air vents and furnace filters are free of dust, debris, and allergens (which can make rooms feel stuffy and make it harder to breathe).
As a general rule, the living room should be at least 21°C (70°F) and the bedroom should be at least 18°C (64°F). The ideal temperature for bathrooms is between 71°F and 75°F, or 22°C and 24°C.
Temperature Adjustment for Different Seasons
The difficulties of both cool winters and hot summers are discussed below, along with some advice on how to feel more at ease in these temperatures.
Winter
In the winter, it should go without saying that you should dress warmly. Make sure you have extra blankets and throws available for when you’re seated, and if you can, spend money on thermal vests and leggings to wear beneath your regular layers. You can stay warm in bed all night long with an electric blanket, which is a great investment.
Draw your curtains when the light is fading and light a fire. If you can move around well enough, regular exercise is another effective way to keep the heat in. However, during the coldest months, try to exercise indoors. A thermos is an excellent way to provide an elderly person with a hot beverage without having to frequently visit the kitchen for those with limited mobility.
An elderly person can also help by offering assistance with tasks like scheduling boiler maintenance and bleeding the radiators, both of which are essential to making sure the house is prepared and can effectively fend off the cold when it arrives.
Summer
Elderly people are much more sensitive to hot temperatures than younger people are, just as they are to cold ones. We stop sweating as much after the age of 65, which is one of the body’s main defenses against heat. A senior who is overheated may experience sunstroke, which could have life-threatening consequences.
Aside from staying hydrated, it’s important to bring an umbrella for shade if you’re going to be in an area where sun exposure is a concern and, if you don’t have one, to find some shade outside. What are the early signs of heat exhaustion/heat stroke? among other things, you might feel worn out, weak, or headachey. As the weather warms, it’s crucial that family members keep an eye out for these.
Summary
In addition to using an air conditioner or electric heater to maintain an ideal room temperature, it is important to encourage an elderly person to wear warm clothing. The elderly person could be encouraged to wear a thick robe or sweater that they can put on and take off as needed. Additionally helpful are long underwear, socks, slippers, and a nightcap.
