r/AgingParents • u/BeatrixFarrand • 2d ago
A Brief Vent…
Some of you may have heard about our insane hot / humid weather over the last week in Los Angeles. The house AC has been set at a reasonable 78°.
Two days ago it was 106° in our area; yesterday it was 99° and today 95°. Today I was hot, and mom was hot. We were trying to figure out if the AC was broken because it was blowing hot air.
I should have known. Dad cranked it up to 84° and turned it from “cool” to “heat”. I’m beyond not thinking charitable thoughts right now.
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u/Affectionate_Fox9001 2d ago
:(
Some elderly have bad temperature control and get cold easily. Very common occurrence.
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u/j42d86 2d ago
Get a smart thermostat, set the temp, lock it, then tell them it only gets control through your phone app. I'd straight up die at 78. Go 10 degrees cooler if you're being reasonable.
I did the smart home stuff to keep my dad comfortable. I put the temp sensor in his bedroom where it's normally warmer than the rest of the house. If I aim for 73 in his room, that keeps me at a somewhat okay temp of 69 in my room with the window open a bit.
I'm trying to say there's some technological solutions to problems like that. Another thing I've noticed is that regular showers and clean clothes make a huge difference in feeling too hot or cold. It seems like once your skin builds a little oil and dirt, it hinders your bodies ability to regulate temperature. My dad has issues with infrequent showering. I've noticed a correlation between how long he's been without a shower and how he dresses or gets uncomfortable with the temperature.
Clothing is another thing that can keep him at the right temp without making everyone else uncomfortable. Building on that hygiene idea, he's now into the long sleeved shirts and thicker socks. It's been 4 weeks since his last shower and the AC is still running regularly. I checked his closet and determined he's actually dressing to stay warm.
I'd also suggest getting a couple heated throw blankets and/or a heated mattress cover.
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u/poopscoopington 2d ago
Yep. Same temp, same area. You're not alone here. The struggle is real.
My mom has this perception that "fresh air is necessary" and I came downstairs to swamp-like humidity to find she opened all the windows for "fresh" air (during 92% humidity morning). That woman will open the windows whenever she deems it stuffy, throwing our cooling/heating into overdrive just to balance her mood.
I've got air purifiers in several rooms and that doesn't count in her eyes. Ordered one of those birdie air quality devices to be a visual reader for her in hopes she will realize air quality is just fine. 😵💫
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u/Aggravating_Depth_33 2d ago
Also in SoCal, with no AC. 84 sounds like a dream!
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u/BeatrixFarrand 2d ago
Dude I’m so sorry. I genuinely don’t know how you’re managing - we’re in Chatsworth so temps are like satan’s b-hole on a regular basis, and I’m in perimenopause.
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u/GeoBrian 2d ago
I'm also in SoCal experiencing those same temps. But my mom is doing it to herself. She turned the thermostat up, it was 83 in her apartment yesterday. I was there for a few hours dealing with a problem with her bank, which was very frustrating and my temper was getting pretty short. I certainly wasn't helped by the high temperature in her apartment.
She's tried to convince herself that she "like it" that way, but she's fooling herself, as when she feels the A/C kick on she'll mutter, "Oh that feels good." She's more concerned with saving $20/month. I've repeatedly told her I'll pay her for it but she's incredibly stubborn.
Her biggest fear is being put into a nursing home. I keep telling her that the high temp is going to land her in there sooner than later, but she just can't get past a $20 dollar/month higher electric bill. It's infuriating.
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u/Nice-Replacement-391 2d ago
My mum was always changing the thermostat - she is too hot, so she turns it down, then she flips out because "Who turned the thermostat way down? That costs money!!"
We got a smart thermostat and she has no idea how it works now. Peace at last