Carers' Views of the Thermal Comfort Requirements of People with Physical Disabilities

Abstract

A postal questionnaire was completed by thirty-eight carers concerning their experiences and perspectives of the thermal comfort requirements of people with physical disabilities. The ‘stand alone’ questionnaire included sections on environmental conditions, problems and complaints, human responses and issues concerning specific disabilities. Carers were selected from those available at day centres, residential homes and holiday centres. Of the thirty-eight carers, nine were male, twenty-nine were female, four were disabled and thirty-four were not disabled. Twenty-nine of the carers (76%) thought that people with physical disabilities had different ‘temperature needs’. Of the complaints received, the most common request was for people to ask to be warmer, although the staff tended to want to be cooler. Many people with physical disabilities were affected both physically and mentally when they felt too warm or too cold.