Seniors Warned Not

To Lower Heat To Cut Costs

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The National Institutes of Health has issued a warning that senior citizens may be at risk of hypothermia if they lower their thermostats to combat rising heating costs.

“Cold indoor temperatures can be dangerous for older people,” said Richard Havlik, a physician and scientist with the National Institute on Aging.

Mr Havlik said people ages 60 and older should not set their thermostats lower than 68 degrees.

Natural gas customers are expected to receive heating bills up to 60 percent higher than normal for this time of year, utility officials said. Some fear the increase will have a particularly serious effect on seniors who live on fixed incomes.

Hypothermia is a special problem for older people who suffer from conditions such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, thyroid deficiency, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease, or who take medications such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills, Mr Havlik said.

If indoor temperatures drop below the upper 60s, the ch ances of hypothermia are greatly increased, health officials said.