Care Home Residents Deserve a Good Night’s Sleep
Providing care home residents with quality sleep is an essential aspect of care. It's important to ensure they can rest comfortably and peacefully even when the lights are off. While care homes are designed to provide the necessary support and care to seniors, residents often express concerns about various factors that can disrupt their sleep. Trust issues and the inability to sleep in their own beds are two of the most common grievances that can lead to a poor sleep experience. As such, care homes need to adopt the right strategies to ensure that residents sleep better. Here are some effective strategies that care home facilities can implement.
Assess Patient Needs
Patient needs evaluation is the first step to ensuring that they receive quality sleep. Every care home resident is unique and has varying requirements that need to be considered. More specifically, caregivers need to evaluate and consider factors like chronic pain, medical conditions that cause residents to be active at night such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, and frequent bathroom visits. Reviewing doctor’s notes and patient medication requirements can help caregivers adapt accordingly to changing care needs. Besides, proper communication practices among daytime and nighttime staff can help prevent disruptions and enhance overall support.
Secure The Appropriate Equipment
Having the right equipment is vital in ensuring that care home residents get adequate rest. Because natural sleep becomes elusive later in life, caregivers must make sure the facility is well-stocked with the necessary equipment to meet resident needs. For instance, bed wedges and bumpers from NHC can enhance safety by keeping residents in the right posture, minimizing snoring and soreness, and preventing falls. The availability of these essential items can improve the quality of sleep and reassure care home residents.
Lower beds can also be beneficial, making it easier for residents to get in and out of bed and minimizing the risk of falls. Adjustable beds can improve posture, so finding a good combination of the right equipment is vital.
Think About Environmental Conditions
Environmental conditions can have a significant impact on sleep quality. Care home facilities must be mindful of all sleeping habits and identify the most common disturbances that need to be addressed. Movement around the care facility should be kept to a minimum, and creaking floorboards should be promptly corrected. Silent alternatives to bells and buzzers should be sought. Monitoring lighting arrangements is also useful to avoid unnecessary disruption. Caregivers can create a homely space by utilizing dimmer switches that allow residents to control lighting brightness. Bright lights can be a nuisance for some, while others prefer total darkness while sleeping. By providing options, residents can choose and regulate the light that best suits their sleep needs.
Provide Daytime Stimulus
Stimulation during the daytime is vital to keep care home residents engaged and energetic. By offering various activities such as art sessions, games, gardening, and social events, seniors can stay active and occupy their minds with exciting and meaningful activities. With physical exertion involved, seniors can also expend enough energy, creating a natural need for rest during sleep hours. Offering short trips and group outings can also enhance social interaction and in turn lead to a better sleep experience among residents.
By implementing these strategies, care home facilities can ensure that residents get the good night's sleep they deserve. Caregivers can provide a supportive and safe environment that addresses the unique needs of each resident, leading to a happier and healthier life.
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