Elderly Woman Resting Peacefully in Bed at a Memory Care Facility

Simple Strategies for Supporting Sleep in Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Homes

A good night’s sleep is what your loved one always needs. Yet, if they are dealing with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, it can be hard to come by. Sleep disturbances are quite common in these situations and can play a crucial role in their mood, health, cognitive functions, and overall quality of life. If your loved one is in memory care, the important thing for them is to get proper adequate sleep on a regular basis.

Care staff members are always prioritizing your loved one’s care needs. They are trained in assisting them in preparing for bed every night so they can get a good night’s rest. In addition, these are done with simple and effective strategies. As a family member of a senior loved one, you’ll feel at ease knowing that their care team may be implementing these strategies regularly.

Why Sleep May Be Difficult For Your Loved One With Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Knowing the sleep problems your loved one may be experiencing is important. When they are dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia, your loved one may experience some of the following symptoms or changes going on in their body, such as:

  • Changes in the brain that could disrupt the circadian rhythm.
  • Sundowning, which is common in the late afternoon/evening hours. During this time period, your loved one may experience increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation. These can all cause your loved one to struggle with staying asleep.
  • They may also experience discomfort, such as pain, changes in body temperature, nighttime toileting issues, thirst, and hunger.
  • During the day, your loved one may be napping a lot more than normal. This could deprive them of the appropriate amount of sunlight they need as well as miss out on participating in daytime activities. These can lead to nighttime insomnia that can get worse over time.

Memory care communities adopt the routines and environmental designs that will ensure that your loved ones can get the best night’s sleep. If they follow a routine, familiar schedule they can be able to get a good night’s rest and experience less frequent situations that are linked to sundowning or even napping for long periods during the day.

Establish Consistent Routines And Good Sleep Hygiene

One of the best approaches to ensuring that your loved one gets a good night’s sleep is by establishing a predictable daily rhythm. This is key in memory care as unpredictability can trigger agitation among other symptoms in Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Your loved one’s care team can help put together a consistent, structured schedule that may include the following:

  • Set fixed times for waking up and going to bed. These need to be the same every day, if possible.
  • Keep long daytime naps to a minimum. Shorter naps earlier in the day are better options.
  • Encourage physical activity particularly in the morning or early afternoon hours. Activities can include gentle walks, light exercises, or seated movements. These can help build natural fatigue.
  • Natural light exposure in the morning is excellent for your loved one. If they are dealing with limited outdoor access, one alternative is to include bright indoor lighting in places like the community common areas.

What Sleep-Friendly Environment Is Ideal For Your Loved One In Memory Care?

Care staff can put together a strategy that allows your loved one to sleep in an environment that is fit for it. There are plenty of physical settings to consider such as:

  • Make sure the bedroom is cool, quiet, dark, and comfortable. Blackout curtains may be used as well as low lighting to set the environment.
  • Night-lights in hallways and bathrooms can be great for safety purposes. Disorientation and overwhelming brightness can do more harm than good. Thus, the lights are at an adequate brightness that is safe enough for getting around in the dark.
  • Your care team may schedule a “cut off” time (if necessary) if your loved one watches TV. Blue light can affect the natural melatonin in their body, thus making it difficult to fall asleep.
  • Care teams can also implement comforting routines such as quiet reading, warm baths, and soft music among others as part of a familiar ritual that will get your loved one ready for bed.

A Good Night’s Sleep At Heritage Place Is What Your Loved One Needs! Schedule a Visit of Heritage Place Today

At Heritage Place, your loved one can get the best memory care from trained staff members that are compassionate, knowledgeable, and know what it takes to make them comfortable. That includes putting together a plan that allows your loved one to get a good night’s rest every night, even when they are dealing with the challenges of memory-related conditions. For more information, contact us today or schedule a tour with us.

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