I am no longer a caregiver since my husband died of Alzheimer's. However, I live with my daughter and granddaughter. I live in the ADU, they live in the main house. I find that I feel chilled even though AC is set at 76. Would it make sense for me to turn on the heater and raise the temperature a bit? My daughter gets hot flashes so she thinks the temperature in the ADU is just right.
I tend to keep my house a bit on the warm side in the summer and a bit on the cool side in the winter. The use of ceiling fans helps. And I do adjust if I am having company (my sister, she is on a blood thinner so she gets cold. and her husband always seems to wear shorts so when they visit...)
I know my Husband would get chilled but I always had a lap blanket for him. Polar Fleece pants and if needed a flannel shirt over a t-shirt.
If you are paying the bill for heating and cooling then keep the temp where it is comfortable for you. If you are not paying for the heating and cooling, offer to pay your portion of the bills.
And even then they’ll fuss about how it’s still too cold.
Even scarier, symptoms of dementia and schizophrenia can be worsened by high indoor temperatures. I remember way back, my parents would have their house at 80 degrees, which to me felt like I walking into a hot flash. It was Mom who always felt too cold. When she passed, Dad lowered the temp to 72 and I noticed he was feeling much better.
Put on a sweater. You can't expect everyone else in the house to live in the tropics because you're cold when it's 76 degrees. If you want the temperature set at roasting, move into your own apartment or house on your own and make it as hot as you like.
The last year of Mom's life I had hers up to 80 or even 82 but she was tiny and got really cold. This was at age 88.
It DOES NOT make sense to turn on a heater while the AC is set to 76.
Just turn up the AC temp a bit and put a sweater or throw blanket over you if you get chilled. Especially if there is only one thermostat which controls the entire main house and your unit. You are at the mercy of your daughter's comfort setting.
Try getting outside and moving around a bit, especially in the sunshine. That will warm you up.
76 degrees seems very reasonable and depending on location the temp too high causes too much humidity. The moisture can cause all sorts of issues with electrical. I had that issue with my uncles house this summer.
There are many reasons why an elder's body thermostat is running cold -- some has to do with medications and vitamin deficiencies, so maybe get checked by your primary physician.
It’s her house so although I would like to see her do the basics like put on socks and shoes and long sleeves etc, if she wants to sit in 78 degrees so she can wear a thin sleeveless nightgown with a thin housecoat and no socks and slippers then she can do that.
I just can’t stay long when I visit.
Seems to me that whoever lives in the ADU gets to decide what the AC setting is. Or whoever pays the electric bill. Why can't you have an honest convo with your daughter about this? It seems like basic family communication!
In my area would a be a separate structure. But I imagine some are attached.
This thread has me dreading winter and the monitoring of the thermostat by my are asking my mom every five minutes "is it cold in here" and turning the heat up or down one degree everytime ❄️🔥❄️🔥