iSavta | 20.10.2020

Senior adults with Dementia and Alzheimer’s can have serious issues with their sleep. The brain’s signaling system which tells us when to wake up or sleep -- circadian systems -- is already severely disrupted maybe because of age or the existing health conditions. That is just one reason and there are a host of reasons for this problem. 

 

This is very challenging so we are listing down all the best tips to help your elderly loved ones with Dementia and Alzheimer’s to get good sleep. 

 

1. Keep busy during the day. 

Keeping busy throughout the day with many activities planned out and done. Let them try arts and crafts. Or you can also try to sing a song or play some instruments if music is their thing. With the forced homestay because of COVID, there are hundreds of things that you can even do together like cooking a dish or plant some herbs or flowers in the garden. 

Another thing, avoid letting them nap for longer periods of time so they can exhaust their energy throughout the day. In this way, they will just hit the sack after a long day.

 

2. There is a need for a regular schedule.

Keep to your regular schedule for their sleep so it will become automatic for them to fall asleep at a certain hour. The regularity will help induce sleep. 

 

3. The sleep-inducing environment is very important.

The elements in your surroundings when you sleep will also help them fall asleep. If they are sensitive to light, then you can put a dimmer on lights or provide a night light for if they need to. But if they don’t like pitch-black areas, then strategically install lights in hallways and bedrooms and keep the house lit during night time. 

 

4. Avoid food that can cause insomnia.

Coffee, alcohol, and even heavy meals can cause sleeplessness. Also, you might need to remind them to refrain from smoking as this can also make them stay awake longer.

 

5. Manage other triggers. 

There might be a lot of triggers that could cause sleeplessness in senior adults and all of these you should try to limit and manage. One trigger may be sundowning or sundown syndrome, a neurological phenomenon that increases confusion, aggression, and restlessness of patients. This usually happens during winter. 

Setting the mood for sleep could help manage some environmental triggers. You can use aromatherapy or mood lights if needed. 

Poor sleep can result in a lot of things when they are awake: aggression, anxiety, agitation, and anger. You may add frustration and desperation to these and our senior care will be very difficult. But that is why we are here as caregivers because we can help them more with our 24-hour home care. 

 

The best tips that we have here for getting good sleep for senior adults with Dementia and Alzheimer’s may not be hard-fast rules but you can use them to help your elderly loved ones. Do what works for you and your seniors best.