Question

Daignosis of elderly sleeping disorder.

Answer 1

One of the elderly sleeping disorder is Alzheimer's disease.

It is a​​​ progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. It occurs due to the formation of plague around the brain cells by amyloid proteins.

Here, sleep changes include difficulty in sleeping and daytime napping. In difficulty sleeping, elderly people wake up frequently and don't sleep during the night for longer time. There is decrease in both dreaming and non dreaming stages. During night, they wander without lying or disrupt the sleep of caregivers by calling them out.

In daytime napping, individuals are drowsy during day, become restless in the late afternoon . This phenomenon known as Sundowning. In extreme cases, people have a reversal of usual daytime wakefulness and night time sleep pattern.

Non drug treatment for sleep changes: This should be tried befor giving drugs due to serious side effects of drugs. Steps are

1. To maintain regular times for meals, going to bed and getting up from bed.

2. To seek morning sunlight exposure.

3. Regular daily exercise .

4. To get treated if pain occurs and to avoid taking cholinesterase inhibitors before going to bed.

5. Comfortable bedroom temperature with night lights.

6. Discourage lying in bed while awake and also discourage watching television or phone during that time.