Why during this heatwave, when I try to cool Mom (91)'s bedroom with the air-conditioner, she would rather suffer with fan?

As they age, the skin thins and they get just plain cold. My mom would have loved 90 degrees in the house. She had airconditioning put in years ago, but for her last three summers at home rarely used it.

Unless she has heat rash or CHF or some problem that requires her to be cooler, let her have her way. As uncomfortable as you are when it's too hot, she is just as uncomfortable when she is too cold. Since it's her room she isn't bothering anyone else. Does she keep hydrated? That, I think, would be the larger medical concern.

The rooms at the nh where my mom lives all have individual thermstats - my moms is alway set at 81 - and she usually has a polar fleece jacket on over her long sleeve shirt.

Dear Bee,
You are preaching to the choir with ALL of us with this question. Winter: her place needs to be 85, (electric heat so my bill is over $400) a long sleeve shirt, a sweat shirt, and then one or two blankets.
Thank God she has her own "area" in my house. I wear underwear and a tank top when I am in her place. (10 degrees outside) Her answer, "I am comfortable."
Summer: 103 degrees outside. No fan on, no air. Her place MUST be about 90 degrees. I walk into it and sweat is pouring down my back and neck before I reach the chair she is in WITH A BLANKET ON.
I say.............."MOM. I can't stand it in here!"
Her response, "I'm comfortable".

THEN I WILL TOUCH HER SKIN AND IT IS COOL!! Go figure.

Now that I am in her place, pretty much 12 hours a day, we have compromised. (and I run to her walk in tub/shower to cool off!)
Good luck, but let her be! it will NOT hurt/kill her. (On the other hand, if you stay with her in her room, it WILL kill you;)

When my mom lived in an Independent living apartment, she regularly turned off the AC and opened the windows. It was like a sauna. Her doctor told hr how bad this was for her, to no avail.

But she wasn't " suffering " with the heat. She was comfortable. If this is just her room and not yours, leave her be. If you share the room, is there someway of not doing so?

My 90 yr old dad is the same way and when I turn on the air he says it is freezing. He even shut all the air conditioner vents in his room.

People in their 80s and 90s probably grew up in houses w/o central heating, let alone A/C. They grew accustomed to it; in some ways they're stronger than we are. Some of the younger people here probably grew up in airconditioned homes and are used to it as everpresent during the summer.

Also, A/C removes moisture from the room, fans blow directly in one area or if they're oscillating move air in a limited arc range. There's more directed air movement from a fan than from central A/C unless you're right in front of a room unit or in front of or underneath a register for a central A/C system.

And remember that older people aren't as active as their sons and daughters. For some, most of their day is spent sitting; they're not up and about cooking, cleaning, and keeping active. They don't need A/C as much as we do.

Another device that does provide some cooling by virtue of its function is an air filter. And it could complement a fan by filtering out from the air minute particles and dust blown around by a fan, helping to keep the air more breathable.

I agree with others who've advised to let her keep her fan, and check her hydration.

This temperature thing is so confusing. When my Mom and Dad lived in their house, it felt like a sauna with my Mom wearing winter thermo underwear like she was expecting a blizzard to approach shortly in the middle of July.... my Dad was too warm as he would be wearing only shorts, nothing else.

Mom passed 6 months ago and Dad is now in senior living in an apartment he could have as cool as he wants.... this is what is confusing, he turns off the A/C so the room is now a toasty 80 with the outside temp creeping up to 100. Say what?

I don't know if he is subconsciously setting the apartment warm thinking my Mom is there or what. I know his caregivers try to sneak the A/C on so that they won't roast.

We keep telling him having it so hot isn't good for his health. Yet he will complain it is cold. Now, the ceiling vent, the air does bounce off the wall and down onto his recliner. We thought of moving the furniture around but then he would lose his window that he enjoys looking out from his recliner. Will try one of the plastic deflectors.

I am very sensitive to constant "white noise" as well. The longer it goes on, the more stressed I get, especially to manufactured noise like an a/c unit. I also need to have a window open. As long as your mom's health is not impacted and she's not opening the window when it's -40 below, pick your battles! It's the easiest way.

The fan blows directly on her and she can feel it,where as the a/c doesn't blow on her.With my Mom,I kept the house cold at 64* but she still wanted the fan right on her,she said to breathe.She was on 4 liters of oxygen 24-7.Everyone that visited said it was so cold in our home but I just wore a jacket all the time and didn't care as long as Mom was comfortable.