Long sleeves in a hot house

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Specializes in retired from healthcare.

A girl came to our house one day as a guest who told us she was on her way to a private home care case.

The first thing I noticed about her was that she had on a long-sleeve shirt.

I said, "Please don't wear that, you might boil to death."

She took my advice well.

To all who are going into home care for your first time, please dress in cool, light weight clothes.

If you think you might be cold, please dress in layers.

I hate to think of anyone getting heat exhaustion in these very hot houses that are sometimes up to about 80 degrees.

Even when I dress lightly, I still sometimes suffocate when I walk into a client's house. There has only been about one exception to this.

Very few elderly clients have homes where you need a warm long sleeve shirt or warm clothes.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I learned that long ago when I first started working in LTC. They keep those places hot, even in the summer, because the elderly folks who live there are almost always cold.

Now I understand how they feel because I'M almost always cold. I think menopause knocked out my thermostat for good, because I've been this way ever since no matter how much adipose tissue I'm carrying around. Once my feet get chilly in October, that's it.....and I don't thaw out until July. I turn the heat up on Power Ranger and huddle under blankets while my poor hubby is walking around the house in a T-shirt, shorts, and bare feet. Hope neither of us ever needs home care, because those nurses will be walking into a blast furnace! :eek:

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

I sure wish I had your thermostat, Viva! When I went through menopause, mine got stuck on "roast"! When I go to bed I have a ceiling fan going PLUS a fan blowing beside the bed year-round. From May to mid-October the AC is set at 68. My poor husband is always putting on extra clothes. I warn anyone coming to our house that it will be pretty cool.

I just about sweat to death every night at work because my patient's family has their home at what I guess is a normal temperature.

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Oh man. I live in the Middle East right now and even when it's 100 degrees out, I have to wear long sleeves, high necks, a second shirt/tunic on top that reaches to mid-thigh, and long pants. I'm jealous that you guys have A/C, ceiling fans, and the option of less clothes. :p Someday, I'll live in the US again...

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I always wore layers. It was always freezing in the summer and warmer in the winter. I have some decent scarring from KP on my arms so I do tend to wear long sleeves to cover it up (silly I know, but it still bothers me)

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

The state mental hospital where I worked was built in the 1800's and every building on the grounds was heated with radiators. There were two temps. Off and BROIL. Year round, we worked in short sleeved polo shirts and Docker-style slacks. Couple that with peri-

menopause and now menopause, and my internal thermostat has forever altered. I'm either freezing or too ****** hot. Seldom just right.

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