Time to turn up the heat

It’s nearly March and while spring feels close, it’s still cold outside and the freezing temperatures are no fun – especially if you’re elderly.

Icy pavements mean older people are more likely to stay indoors, and yet they probably worry about switching on the heating because of the costs.

But our elderly need to stay warm or it can sadly prove fatal. They are more susceptible to serious conditions like hypothermia if their body temperature drops below 35°C, and figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that there were around 24,300 excess winter deaths in England and Wales in 2015/16.

But there are ways to keep your elderly family and friends warm and comfortable indoors, which don’t involve ramping up the thermostat – and increasing their fear of paying the bills.

Quick and easy solutions include “snugs” – soft, ergonomic pillows which fit around the body when sitting or lying down; heated throws on the sofa and heated chair pads which are particularly useful if a person has limited mobility.

It’s also important not to waste heat, so make sure the property is well insulated. Try and find out what insulation exists in the house, and what would be worthwhile installing.

And make sure they are receiving the winter fuel payment. Ranging between £200–300 this grant can make a lot of difference throughout the year.

It’s always worthwhile seeing if savings can be made by changing their energy supplier but also think about what kind of heating they use. Central heating can provide the best coverage throughout the home, but sometimes it might be useful to have portable fan heaters to maintain the temperature in certain rooms.

Smart thermostatic devices can also keep temperatures constant, by automatically turning the heating up or down and some let you control heating from a laptop, smartphone or tablet, which means you can monitor and regulate the temperature remotely.

While we know too many elderly people feel forced to choose between eating and heating during the coldest months, there are ways to make sure they can stay warm which don’t have to cost a fortune.

Send me your consumer queries to askalex@which.co.uk