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OK, being a motorcyclist, I'm keenly aware of cold weather protection. (Also, warm weather, but that's not for another 6 months.)
First things, first. The human body loses 30% of our body heat above the neckline. So, a hat makes a BIG difference.
Next, feet. blueherons mentioned LL Bean for footwear. Look for "Wicked Good" slippers. They are quite snug, when new. You gotta "pack 'em down" by wearing them for a few hours. After that, they're magic. (These are ONLY for indoors use., btw.)
Next, you'll need clothes that don't "bind or balloon." The lined jeans is a good idea. LL Bean or Columbia or Eddie Bauer.
We'll use these if the wind chill is above 45F. Below that, we go electric. (Yep, pants/jackets/socks/gloves.) These are good to sub zero #'s. Since wind won't be an issue for you, we'll skip the leather jackets/pants.
Most of the solutions are by younger people, and are good solutions for young people, but do not work for the elderly. Their bodies no longer act the same as young peoples bodies do.
What is being overlooked by many, is older people are different than younger people. They loose the a lot of ability to live in cold conditions, which can be anything under 80 to 85. Feeling cold air (anything below the 80s) on their faces, makes them feel cold. Breathing colder air (under the 80s), makes them feel very cold. Just piling on heavy clothing does not solve the problem.
My wife and I are 90 to 91. Until the last couple of years, 70s degree air was no problem, today it is torture especially for my 91 year old wife. My wife can be in bed with heavy blankets, but if the air she breathes is below 82 plus, she feels like she is freezing.
The solution for elderly, is to provide a room where they can do most of their living, and heat the air to the point they are comfortable. I have found a wall hung heater good to heat a 350 sq. ft. room, is the solution.
Younger people have a hard time accepting the fact, than elderly people do not react to temperature the same as younger people, and they have different needs to meet. I am not just speaking for my wife and I, but know several elderly that feel the same way.
They all find, that the air temperature their elderly bodies need, drives the younger people from the room, and the temperatures that the younger people want to live with, and expect the elderly to just put on more heavy clothing, is torture for the elderly.
We live in Montana for the clean air we need, and live in a 3,700 sq. ft. 4 level luxury home, and our total gas/electric bills are $300 per month in the winter. We are willing to pay that, to stay comfortable. Our home sits on a hill above a river, fully exposed on 5 acres. Large windows that help heat during sunny days.
I agree with Old Trader. No way you can keep piling on garments expecting it to work. You have to adjust the ambient air. For that matter you could have the person sit wrapped in a down comforter instead of two coats. That's too uncomfortable and someone with dementia is going to complain of the wrong thing - like they do with a UTI they complain about a "back ache".
My loved one with memory issues is cold all the time, any time of the year. They are up to wearing a shirt, 2 sweatshirts and even tried to put a winter coat over another winter coat yesterday. Any ideas for layering someone in this situation better? I'm thinking lightweight sports vest. Trying to avoid the heavy layering as it is also an inconvenience when they need to use the bathroom and they have been trapped in their own clothing a few times. Thanks in advance for any advice.
1.Thermal underwear. Invest in something quality.
2. Stretch yoga clothes. Tight and spandex.
3. Sweats.
4. A very warm bathrobe - fleece is good. Another bathrobe that has a zipper up the front.
5. Very warm, knee-length socks. Warm slippers.
6. An outdoor hat or woven cap. Something from a ski shop. People lose most body heat from the topof their heads.
7. A thick, velvety throw.
LAYERS - that's what is needed. Layers are NOT what you should be avoiding at all.
If you go back and look at this forum, you'll find plenty of instances where people set a higher thermostat reading to accommodate a live-in parent. I think that they will have difficulty sleeping unless you adjust the environmental settings, and this will cause them to get up in the middle of the night. You'll also find plenty of complaints from their kids about a hot house with the thermostat at 76.
If one of these older people was my parent, we'd get along great! I've always been too cold... my mom wasn't that type until she got older, then she started saying she finally understood me, lol. When she was in rehab, we were both happy when her room was warm. Then a nurse would come in and say, "It's hot in here!" and crank up the AC. My mom would glare until the nurse left, then I'd get up and turn off the AC as soon as the door closed. As if my mom (or I, when I was there) didn't have the sense to turn the AC up if she was hot? (But, people who are always warm tend to assume everyone is like they are, so they just automatically make a room colder without asking anyone.)
It's true, though-- there are only so many layers you could put on in a cold room, which is not something many people can understand when they crow about "just put on a sweater!" What, another one? lol. But it's also true that one can only turn up the heat so much (whether due to other people, cost, or logistics), and then one has to rely on warm clothing.
If you go back and look at this forum, you'll find plenty of instances where people set a higher thermostat reading to accommodate a live-in parent. I think that they will have difficulty sleeping unless you adjust the environmental settings, and this will cause them to get up in the middle of the night. You'll also find plenty of complaints from their kids about a hot house with the thermostat at 76.
kids and the very elderly, are two different situations. The elderly have much poorer circulation, than kids, and have completely different needs.
This is why the elderly need a room such as we have set up, that makes the rest of the house livable for others, while allowing the heat to be maintained in relation to the needs of the elderly parent. The hotter bedroom air keeps the elderly in bed, while the cool air others want keeps them from going into a real deep sleep, and they feel cold. And 76 is not comfortable for elderly====Too Cold. We and others we know, find another 6 to 8 degrees is needed.
What most posters are suggesting, is how a younger person solves the warmth problem, without regard to what solves the problem for elderly. Their needs and solutions to the problem are two different things.
4. A very warm bathrobe - fleece is good. Another bathrobe that has a zipper up the front.
5. Very warm, knee-length socks. Warm slippers.
6. An outdoor hat or woven cap. Something from a ski shop. People lose most body heat from the topof their heads.
7. A thick, velvety throw.
LAYERS - that's what is needed. Layers are NOT what you should be avoiding at all.
This is information for handling younger peoples problems. Not the problem of the elderly.
The elderly need warm air to solve their problem. Heated air to breath, and keep the body warm.
A lot of people, have sleep apnea (I do). For years I have had to sleep with an APAP machine to keep proper pressure to properly breath at night. In addition, I have an Oxygen Generator to supply extra Oxygen, plus a heated humidifier that heats the air I breath adding humidity at the same time. I have been on this nearly 20 years.
No matter how many layers you use, elderly need heated air to keep them warm and to breath. In fact too many layers as some suggest, will make it difficult for many elderly to move about safely, and can lead to accidents that could be avoided without all the layers hindering their movement. Elderly falling, can put them in bed for life.
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As if my mom (or I, when I was there) didn't have the sense to turn the AC up if she was hot? (But, people who are always warm tend to assume everyone is like they are, so they just automatically make a room colder without asking anyone.)
