I'm not having a good New Year so far - Mental Health Sup...

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I'm not having a good New Year so far

carolk1955 profile image
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I live in a personal care home and wish I didn't. Last night I didn't sleep well because my room got very cold. It's an old building. My room is on the 2nd floor in the northwest corner with no other rooms around it. There are no storm windows and, I suspect, no insulation. I looked in the hallway at the thermostat for the whole floor and it was set at 73. It sure wasn't 73 in my room. On my thermometer it was 68 and the state regulations say it's supposed to be at least 70 in all rooms. So I got dressed in 3 layers of clothing. I said something to the administrator and his response was "it was cold outside last night, down in the teens." Shouldn't the heat kick on it that's the case? I have hot air heat and I felt no hot air coming out of the register. We are not allowed to have space heaters, due to the fire hazard. When I had my own apartment I had a Delonghi oil-filled radiator next to my bed that kept me toasty. I also had a heated mattress pad. Last week I bought an electric blanket from Amazon, but have been reading that heated mattress pads are better. I know we're allowed to have electric blankets. I hesitate to get a heated mattress pad because the staff changes the sheets and then sprays the mattress with Lysol. My mattress is not very comfortable, not cushiony at all, I can feel the springs. The past few weeks my heat had been working OK and I was thinking about sending the electric blanket back. But after last night I think I'll keep it. I hate breathing cold air while I'm sleeping and supposedly an electric blanket helps to heat up the room. And of course lunch was pork and sauerkraut, which I don't like. I made one of my own dinners. I like to do yoga in the afternoons, but with all this clothing on it's not going to be comfortable. Yoga is one of the few things I look forward to in this place. A great start to the New Year. I want 2021 to be better than 2020, and the only thing I can think of to make it better is to move out of here. I loved my old apartment complex but I can't afford it. I just turned 65 and I'm on Social Security now. I got my $600 from the IRS. I was counting on $1200 so I could get a denture. 1 1/2 years ago a dentist told me I should have all my upper teeth extracted so I did. I wish I hadn't. They were working OK and not causing me any pain.

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carolk1955 profile image
carolk1955
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4 Replies
carolk1955 profile image
carolk1955

Unfortunately, I have no siblings, my parents are both dead, and after my husband died in 2017, I have no family left. Yes, that would be the ideal solution, but it's not available to me. This is not my hometown, my husband and I moved here after we married in 1992. I really miss my hometown, but it is 85 miles away and I would love to move back. That area is having more problems with COVID-19 than the area I'm living in now, so moving back there right now, even if I had a way, is not a good idea. I had a few friends in this area but they have all drifted away. One thing that helped me in my own apartment, kept me from getting too lonely was one or two pet cats. In fact, I always had at least one cat from 1979 until 2017. I really miss that companionship and it may be enough to motivate me to get my own apartment again.

Hello Carol

Sorry you are having problems keeping warm in bed, I was having problems several months ago with my Electric Blanket and my Wife got me one from Amazon that is an automatic one controlled by a timers with various time periods. It also has a rapid heat program that heats up the bed in 5 mins then you can adjust the heat as required. If you are feeling the springs the bed must be getting on, bed mattress only lasts about ten years so they need changing.

We have on of those memory foam mattress and they can now generally can take an Electric Blanket. The mattress holds onto the heat and the memory foam forms your shape and that also helps keep the heat around you, that may help. Iam seventy years old now and chronically disabled. I do not know what the situation is in USA however I purchased a Adjustable Bed with massage and I did not pay the VAT, WE do not need to purchase the actual bed frame, it

is set on sprung beech slats

You do not feel through the mattresses we have had the frames now for thirty years and purchased quite a few mattresses over the years.

You are like me with dentists, I have had most of my teeth extracted and now I need a denture refit, It gets expensive purchasing Dentures

BOB

Torri_____ profile image
Torri_____

Can you microwave a sock filled with dry rice or barley? I live alone in a farmhouse and have older windows so I keep a warmed up sock filled with dry rice or barley and I tie the end that’s open and heat it up and it retains the heat for most of the night. Wishing you well warmth and yoga stretches for 2021 ❤️

Torri_____ profile image
Torri_____

And yes to furry friends to feel connected and love through cold nights. I would love to hear that for you and I will keep you in my thoughts.

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