Nighttime confusion is common among seniors and can cause severe symptoms, and 24-hour home care can benefit seniors. Having someone with your senior parent at night can help them manage the symptoms of nighttime confusion and not feel so scared or alone.
When people think of nighttime confusion, they often think about “sundowning,” which is something that many people with dementia experience. Seniors with dementia are more prone to experiencing nighttime confusion, but any senior can have nighttime confusion. Medication side effects, mental health challenges, and even grief can cause nighttime confusion.
Some of the most common symptoms of nighttime confusion are:
- Disorientation
- Agitation
- Hallucinations
- Difficulty sleeping
- Erratic behavior
- Confusion
Seniors who have 24-hour home care struggle less with nighttime confusion. Having someone with them at night calms many seniors and makes them feel less scared, anxious, and lonely.
In addition to 24-hour home care, some things that can help seniors manage nighttime confusion are:
Establish a Consistent Routine
A predictable routine helps reinforce the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, making it easier for seniors to transition from day to night and reducing disorientation. Your mom or dad should have a consistent bedtime each night to help them feel tired at the same time each night. If a 24-hour home care provider is with them at night, your mom or dad may feel more relaxed.
Make The Bedroom Restful
To help your mom or dad relax, make sure their bedroom is a cozy place for rest. Buy new comfortable bedding, including new pillows. Hang light-blocking thermal curtains to help keep the room dark and comfortable.
Encourage Daytime Activity
Increased daytime activity helps promote better nighttime sleep and reduce feelings of restlessness and confusion in the evening. So, you should encourage your mom or dad to be active throughout the day. Playing games, doing puzzles, doing easy exercises, and skipping naps are great ways to make sure your mom or dad is tired at night.
Adjust Lighting and Environment
Proper lighting can help manage confusion by reinforcing the natural transition from day to night and reducing disorientation caused by changes in light levels. To help your mom or dad make the transition to nighttime use soft lighting at night. Or, get a lamp that mimics natural sunlight and gets brighter during the day and becomes dim at night.
Have A Bedtime Routine
Relaxation techniques help ease the transition to sleep, reduce anxiety and agitation, and improve the overall quality of sleep. It’s often recommended that seniors put away their phones and electronic devices at least half an hour before they want to sleep so they can wind down.
Having a hot cup of tea, taking a warm bath, reading, or watching a favorite TV show can also help seniors relax. Some seniors find meditation, coloring, prayer, or listening to music relaxing at night. 24-hour home care providers can help your mom or dad find some relaxing activities that they can do at night to reduce the symptoms of nighttime confusion.
If you or an aging loved one are considering 24-Hour Home Care in East Lake, CA, please contact the caring staff at A Caring Touch Home Care today. Call (619) 344-0528
A Caring Touch Home Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency providing exceptional home care in Coronado, Del Mar/Del Mar Heights, Bonita, East Lake, La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Mt. Helix/La Mesa, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Carmel Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos, Point Loma, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego and surrounding areas.
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