My husband and I will be building/purchasing a home this year with the intent of my 75 year old parents moving in with us. Both have been life-long smokers and while my father doesn't care if he continues to smoke, my mother refuses to quit at this stage of her life. It's a sad situation as she is on oxygen due to smoking, COPD and asthma and is essentially in a wheelchair when going out as she cannot walk long distances.
We've had multiple "family meetings" about this move-in...and they are 100% comfortable, as are we, that this move is going to happen. The one sticking point is I can't have our new home smelling like smoke, especially because I run a small business out of my home and can't send products out smelling like smoke. My parents are both aware of this and while they understand, my mother feels that sticking to specific rooms of the house will work. I know this will not work. If we build a home it's a significant cost to basically having an in-law suite with a separate HVAC system, as well as a potentially hard selling point for the home down the road.
I'm trying to find a solution which would allow her to smoke in their rooms of the new house but containing the smoking vapors from entering the rest of the home. If I completely refuse to allow indoor smoking they will NOT move in - and my father (while more healthy than my mother) is becoming more frail and cannot continue to be the sole caregiver for my mother. Since this is a move they want to make I prefer we all do this together and now - instead of waiting for something to happen to them physically in which they can't continue to live alone.
Looking for any ideas, regardless of how crazy, and I appreciate any negativity be kept out of responses. I am aware of the negative effects of smoking and health so that's another topic for another time.
Thank you everyone!
https://forums.woodnet.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=3&page=65
TOH show offers state of the art adaptations on multiple aspects of home building, repair and management.
But I do agree that smoking while on oxygen is totally inappropriate and unsafe.
The equipment came with a sign for the front door advising that there could be no smoking.
The home health nurses provided through Medicare Advantage confirmed that the sign was actually posted at each visit over a three week period.
I'm pretty sure that the paperwork also required that she affirm that there would be no smoking, but of course there is no enforcement, just a liability waiver. I'm guessing the homeowners' insurance would check to see if they could get out of paying if there was an actual fire.
You can tell when an oxygen concentrator is on so it might be less likely to cause an explosive house fire than a tank that can quietly leak but you'd still need to have a plan. Don’t slack off the recommendations for smoke detectors and fire extinguishers; replace batteries and maintain as directed. Encourage her to wear less flammable fabrics. Discourage the use of flammable hair and cosmetic products. Try to visualize how to deal with a fire if it happens: most likely the tubing would feed a tiny torch into her face, she would then try to remove the tubing or smother the fire with her hands; what is the best way to deal with that without causing more damage or additional injury?
Here's an interesting link:
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/home-oxygen-safety
"Until you can quit smoking, if you must smoke:
Disconnect the oxygen
Wait ten minutes
Go outside to smoke
This is not a safe way to smoke, but it allows time for oxygen to come off your hair and clothes, and lowers the danger of fire."
The smoking is a deal breaker for the parents. She states that in her original post.
Is it likely the OP's house is the size of a casino with 50' ceilings or higher? I don't think the commercial filtration systems a casino has can be adapted for residential use. Casinos also raise the oxygen levels in their playing rooms by pumping in pure oxygen to keep people from getting tired so they can play longer and spend more money. I don't think the OP can do this in her house.
MACinCT is right. If the parents have to go into facility care they won't be smoking at all.
The OP needs to have a smoke-free house. Especially if there are kids. She wants them to move in and they should be grateful.
My post under Mac is in answer to your nonsense here.
50' ceilings or higher, hahaha! They do not have 5 story ceilings, that is funny.
There is no way that the smoke, smell, and discoloration can be contained to their areas. It gets everywhere. in the walls, ceilings, rugs, clothing, upholstery.
The only way to prevent the cigarette smoke from permeating the whole house and everything in it, is to have a smoke-free home.
There is no air filtration system that will prevent it. Tell mom and dad that you will not allow smoking indoors.
Take the money and build them a covered patio area outside of their rooms where they can go and smoke. Not in the house.
Thanks for some of the good feedback so far....look forward to anything at this point!!
Jane
My mother used one, when it was delivered, there was a cardboard placard attached saying "ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING WHILE IN USE". Great big letters, all caps, in *bright* red against a white card. No one in the house smoked, so that wasn't an issue - but there was also literature about where else to NOT use it, including a kitchen that used a gas/propane cooktop, because of the open flame. Now, that was a concern, because that's what we have in the kitchen. So, no oxygen used in the kitchen while the stove was lit.
Even *if* you were told it's "safer", understand that "safer" does NOT mean safe. It's safer to use snow tires in winter weather; that doesn't mean it's safe to drive in winter weather.
This is your home. Tell mom no smoking in the house, and absolutely NOT while she's on oxygen therapy, whether tanks or concentrators. This is a safety issue for everyone in the house, not just mom and dad.
They do not have duct work and each room can be kept at it's own temp. They won't transfer the smoke throughout the entire house.
However, the best way to contain the smoke is multiple layer solutions, put a really good HEPA filter in each of their rooms, buy smokeless ash trays, they draw the smoke in as you flick your ash or set it down, buy pet odor candles, they are soy with no lead in the wick, that can deal with any escaping odor.
There is not one good thing for this issue, you have to layer solutions.
My mom is a reformed smoker, she gripes if she can smell any smoke, yet she came into my home and said it was a good thing I smoked outside. Ha, only because she was there. So, I know that layered solutions do work. I quit smoking years ago and still use these things to keep my home fresh.
If it is possible, I would build them an enclosed, temp controlled porch, if it is really nice, she might like to sit out there and smoke.
Edit: make sure that all of their rooms have cross ventilation from windows. This way they can be aired out efficiently.
I do think you should consider the risk of fire (you’ll be living there, too) first. I’m wondering when I’ll need to cut off the gas to the stove. Smoking and and oxygen tank would equal many sleepless nights for me.
Now multiply that by 1000 with your mother once she is in your home and imagine what it will be like 5 or 10 years down the road.
Once you move your parents in it will be harder than removing a mess of ticks off a dog to get them out.
Also since your dad is getting weaker who will be taking care of mom? Have you talked about that with both of them or are you going to do the care for mom?
As for solutions smoking outside is the only way to contain that smell.
To smoke in the presence of O2 is an explosion and fire waiting to happen.
Your home smelling of smoke is not my major concern. I personally would not take in a smoker; it would be a deal breaker. But if it can be afforded I am sure there must be some filtration system, no matter how costly that would help (I doubt would eliminate).
To be honest, this is the LEAST of my concern. Because the fires I saw set by the elderly who continued to smoke (and it was uncomfortably frequent) were set by those who had impairment of oxygenation to their brains, sleepiness and etc. And then you have the fact that you DO NOT SMOKE IN THE PRESENCE of O2.
You are looking at a fire waiting to happen. I hope the insurance is excellent.
As I said--this should be a deal breaker. This would not be allowed in ANY facility.You certainly should not allow it in your home.
OP is going to regret moving her parents into their new house.