– What I’m a little worried about is that older people might say: “Okay, I have to save a lot of electricity”. Of course you can have a cooler indoor climate, but you have to compensate by dressing more, says professor at the Arctic University of Norway, James Mercer. For 25 years, he has researched the regulation of body temperature, and believes there are other places where you should save money, before turning down the indoor temperature. An indoor temperature that is too low can be fatal in the worst case scenario. James Mercer is afraid that the elderly may die from too cold homes. Photo: Anders Haualand / news – I am afraid that when we look at the mortality statistics in a year’s time, we will see an increase. I hope that doesn’t happen and I don’t want to scare people. The whole point is that people need to be aware of the problem. He points out that the mortality rate in mid-winter is 34 per cent higher than in summer. This applies to all countries in Europe. The most important factor here is the indoor climate. Controls the temperature with the phone – The heat pump is set to 19 degrees. It’s such a nice temperature outside now, says Ole-Henrik Andressen. Ole-Henrik Andressen is not afraid of freezing. Photo: Anders Haualand / news He is retired and lives in Lier. At home, he controls the temperature of the heat pump with his smartphone. Via another app, he gets control of the panel ovens. Both here and at the cabin. He admits that the system and the heat pump have come into place because of the high electricity prices. He has also changed the windows. Ole-Henrik Andressen controls the temperature in the living room with an app. Photo: Anders Haualand / news – It’s not like before that you just pay the electricity bill, then you’re happy, says Ole-Henrik. He has reduced the heating by 25 per cent with the measures, and he only has heating in one room, namely the living room. – Now I’m not really frozen, but I know people who think it’s too cold here, he says. Photo: Anders Haualand / news Can affect health Around 36 million people in Europe were unable to keep sufficiently warm in 2020. Figures from the EU, reproduced by the BBC, show this. This has consequences for our health. Research shows that cold homes are harmful to those who live there. A higher risk of strokes, respiratory infections and falls or injuries due to people’s reduced strength in lower temperatures. Low indoor temperatures can affect health both in the short and long term. At four o’clock in the morning, the body temperature is the lowest, and there is also the greatest risk of dying if it is too cold at home, according to James Mercer. – 19 degrees is too cold Mercer emphasizes the importance of older people maintaining a good indoor temperature in at least one room in the house. And that they simply avoid going outside if it gets bitterly cold. – I think a room temperature of 19 degrees is too low for older people. They are less active than younger people. They often sit indoors all day. And things happen with old age that make the way we regulate body temperature weaken, says Mercer. He recommends a temperature of 22-24 degrees for elderly people who sit very still at home. – If you walk around all day and feel that you are cold, it is bad news for your health. You shouldn’t do that. – Feel whether you feel cold or not. If you feel cold, turn up the temperature, says Mercer. Ole-Henrik Andressen is not afraid of getting cold. He lifts up the cat that has entered the living room. – I usually say, as a joke, that if I’m freezing, I take this little heater on my lap, he laughs.
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Researchers fear the elderly will die when they save on electricity – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
