Gas or electric?

Kelebek27

My Mam is 80 and SERIOUSLY feels the cold. She has an open plan living/dining room.
In the dining room end there is an average size radiator but in front of it is the dining table and chairs. 
In the living room the radiator is under a bay window, so is very short, around 18".
The boiler is 2 years old and that, the radiators and the radiator thermostats are working as they should perfectly. The problem is, it's not warm enough for my Mam. 
What is the most sensible and cost effective way to get more heat into the room? Should we look at getting another radiator added to the current gas central heating system or would an electric heater be more effective and cheaper. 
Whatever the option it needs to be very simple to operate day to day as she's becoming very confused (being tested for dementia). 
Thanks in advance. 

worrywart_3

My dad is the same I would get quoted for another radiator but if it’s just whilst it’s very cold a heated throw is brilliant over her legs or an oil filled radiator just when it’s really cold will be less of an outlay as a temporary measure.

tim_p

Heated throw like an electric blanket work well. 

Verdigris

Thirded. My mum loved her heated throw. Costs next to nothi8ng to run.

Ultrasonic

The heated throw idea may well be the way to go but bear in mind that the water temperature set on the boiler will affect how hot the radiators get. 

Verdigris

I'd be sweating at my ma's and she'd still be complaining she was cold!

It would be worth checking what the actual temperature in the room is, though.

Rivers_mum

Given that she has dementia I’d be wary of any sort of free standing electric heater in case she throws something over it and much as I love my electric throw do you think she could use one safely? 

I’d say the safer idea is to look at a bigger radiator although it’s more expensive. 

Rivers_mum

You can get some really nice throws that are double thickness, fleecy on one side and teddy bear fleece on the other that would be cosy or a lightweight single duvet with a nice fleece or teddy bear cover - as long as you don’t think she might stand up and trip over it. 

coffeehound

How many hours a day is the C/H running?  Probably best to have it running more hours per day -- maybe even 24/7

The NHS recommend that the temperature in elderly folks' homes should not fall below 18 ℃ at any time 

grandadgolfer

OP I presume they have the curtains tucked behind the radiators at night time otherwise you lose most of it

coupleuk

Another option - put a curtain pole and curtain to separate the two areas - stop trying to heat one large room and look at it as two smaller ones.