Sleep Issues: Five Tips for Sleep Issues with Dementia
Sleep Issues: Very often people with dementia may not be getting the sleep that they need.
Sleep Issues: If that’s the case for your senior, it can affect her mood and her overall health, making sleep an important issue to resolve.
Understand Why Your Senior Is Having Trouble Sleeping
There are many different reasons why your elderly family member might have sleep issues. People with dementia can have trouble flipping night and day and they may also experience confusion in later stages due to trouble recognizing what’s happening. Your elderly family member might also be too tired at the end of the day, which can contribute to sleep issues.
Try to Resolve the Big Issue
Once you have an idea of what might be the major contributing factor, try to resolve it. With night and day confusion, you can try to orient your senior throughout the day and help her to get back on a typical schedule. Having a solid routine throughout the day that covers all the bases can also help. Reducing frustration for your elderly family member can help with mental exhaustion.
Look into Dietary Changes
What is your senior eating? Also, when is she eating? If she’s eating randomly, she might be getting too much sugar, caffeine, or something else before bed. Eating a healthy diet that is full of protein, fiber, and nutrients can help her body to get what it needs to keep her properly fueled.
Help Her to Be More Physically Active
Many people with dementia aren’t physically active enough during the day to burn off excess energy. Make sure that you talk with her doctor about how much activity is right for your senior. Try to make being more active as fun as possible for your senior so that she enjoys this extra movement.
Talk to Her Doctor
If all else fails, don’t rule out talking with your senior’s doctor about what’s going on. There are times that there’s an underlying health issue that is creating trouble with sleeping. Ruling out those health issues can be tremendously helpful for your elderly family member.
While you and your senior are trying to sort out her sleep issues, you need to make sure you’re getting rest, too. That can be difficult if your elderly family member has flipped her sleep schedule and is awake all night. Hiring a caregiver for overnight assistance can be a huge help, and when you’ve got things back on track, they can be helpful during the day with routine and structure, too.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Lake Forest, IL, call the caring staff at LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services. Call (888) 606-4199 LifeCare serves all of the Chicago Metro Area.
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