What Is a Safe and Ideal Room Temperature for an Elderly Person?

If you’ve walked into the home of your elderly parents or another relative, there’s a good chance it was pretty warm inside—and rightly so! The skin of older people is thinner and doesn’t handle fluctuating temperatures as well as it used to.

Age reduces the elasticity of blood vessel walls, which makes it difficult for the heart to pump an adequate amount of blood to the skin. As blood vessels constrict, the fat layer under the skin becomes thinner, preventing it from preserving heat like it used to.

But is the best solution to feeling cold cranking the heater up to summer-like temperatures? In a way, it is.

This Is the Ideal Room Temperature for an Elderly Person

Many seniors find 78 degrees to be the most comfortable indoor temperature. Anywhere from 65 to 78 degrees is considered safe. The ideal temperature would be whatever seniors find most comfortable within that range. To prevent an elderly person from becoming too cold, it’s recommended the room temperature never drops below 65 degrees.

Your chief concern when it comes to the room temperature for an elderly person is avoiding hypothermia since older people have such a difficult time maintaining body heat.

As long as the room is between 65 and 78 degrees, the actual ideal temperature depends on personal preference. Some may want to control their utility bill by keeping the home around 68 degrees and dressing in layers. Others will want to keep the residence closer to that 78-degree mark.

Can a Room Temperature for an Elderly Person Be Too Hot? 

While there is greater concern about a room or home becoming too cold, there are certainly some possible negative consequences to a house being warmed above the 80-degree mark.

Those warmer temperatures can increase dehydration, which can accelerate some illnesses for the resident and promote fungus and mold growth in the room.

Keep Your Heater in Tip-Top Shape

It’s critically important that the heater in an elderly person’s home is annually inspected to offer peace of mind that it won’t break down during colder months. Schedule maintenance with One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning today.