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Alzheimer Disease: Keeping The Patient Warm |
By:
Mick Thompson |
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As we get older there are many things that it becomes more difficult
for our bodies to do. Keeping warm is one of those things.
As we age the temperature of our bodies drop, leaving us more at risk
for heart attack, stroke, and breathing difficulties. To live a
healthy lifestyle in your older years it’s important that you
stay warm and comfortable.
Those patients who are suffering from Alzheimer Disease will find it
even more difficult to stay warm since they often won’t be able
to let their caregivers know that they are cold. If you are a
caregiver of an Alzheimer patient there are some things that you can do
to ensure that your patient is warm enough.
Try to keep the temperature of the room at about 70 degrees. This is particularly true for the bedroom area.
Make sure that the temperature remains consistent at night so there is
little fluctuation of the comfort level. If the room is too cold
you might want to put a hot water bottle into bed with your patient so
that there is warmth under the covers. Avoid the use of electric
blankets since there is always the danger of electrocution if
you’re not constantly keeping watch. During the winter
months keep the windows closed to avoid a chill and wind draft.
Make sure that the Alzheimer patient eats healthy since a well balanced
diet can aid in keeping the body at an even temperature. During
the winter, try to include at least one hot meal every day.
Alzheimer patients, when left to dress themselves, will often dress in
several layers of clothing. As a caregiver make sure that you
dress your patient with care and attention to the temperature of the
room or the outdoors.
You might want to consider bed socks if you find that your
patient’s feet are too cold during the night. Keep a house
coat and slippers by the bed for night time trips to the bathroom.
Regular exercise of some kind will help to regulate the body
temperature of an Alzheimer patient. Keep in mind that people
with Alzheimer disease will be less active than other people and so
you’ll have to encourage some sort of activity even if it just a
short walk outside. Try not to let your patient sit for long
periods of time.
Keeping an Alzheimer patient warm is important so that (1) they are
kept as comfortable as possible, and (2) because they often can’t
express to you how cold they are.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article53440.html |
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