Night Fright? There's hope

Article submitted by Kathy Curry, Home Instead Senior Care. For more information, call 719-534-0908 or visit their website www.homeinstead.com

When the sun goes down, seniors' fears often take center stage.

Whether the causes are physical or psychological, or related to diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, nighttime can be a frightening time for seniors, especially those who are living alone. Many of these problems that occur with seniors at night are rooted in the physical changes that take place as the result of aging. And those issues are often connected to sleep disorders.

In a 2005 Gallup poll of 1,000 adults over the age of 50, less than half of those surveyed (32 percent) reported getting a good night's sleep all seven days of the week. And yet, respondents ranked good sleep as more important even than interpersonal relationships. This Gallup study revealed a number of factors to explain sleep problems including that of worry.

There are also physiological changes occurring with age, such as a decreased amount of time spent in some stages of sleep and many tend to have diseases that can make sleep difficult. For instance, people who suffer from congestive heart failure can't rest in a flat position, and the pain of arthritis keeps some awake at night. Medications for certain diseases also can impact sleep, and bladder or prostate problems prompt people to get up for bathroom breaks.

In addition to those medical illnesses and medications common in older adults, there can be psychiatric problems and changes in the body rhythms that help determine when we sleep - and they change as we age.

Even though research is helping to identify solutions, statistics indicate that more seniors are searching for medical remedies to sleep problems. Between 2000 and 2004, use of prescription insomnia drugs climbed by 16 percent among people 65 years and older.

However, while many aids are on the market, sleep medications might not be the best answer for all older adults, as some may make seniors confused and disoriented - symptoms that, in particular, should not be exaggerated in seniors who already are confused due to Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. In fact, those symptoms can wreak nighttime havoc in the lives of seniors and family caregivers.

While the issues surrounding older adults with dementia-related illnesses are very different from seniors with sleep disorders and physical ailments, all of those factors can contribute to the psychological anxiety that seniors may experience at night. Many seniors undoubtedly are anxious because they know it's harder to reach help at night. And there's more time to think about the things that might be going wrong.

But there is hope...using the following tips should help older adults feel more secure at night:

• Encourage seniors to obtain a device with a button they can push to summon medical help if needed.
• Play soft music at night. It has a calming effect.
• Install night lights. They will make it easier for seniors to see when they get up at night.
• Light the outside of the house and set timers to activate some indoor lights. Older adults will feel more secure knowing their house is illuminated.
• Let your older loved ones know they can call you. Put your number, or that of another family member or friend, on speed dial.
• Reassure them the house is secure. Rehearse with them the process to make sure their doors and windows are locked.
• Make sure the interior of the house is safe by installing grab bars and eliminating throw rugs.
• Consider climate control. Their house should not be too hot or too cold.
• Encourage a set routine. This will help a senior feel less anxious.
• Consider resources such as a non-medical professional caregiver. Many caregivers provide 24-hour and overnight services to help seniors in their homes.