Good for the elderly
An elderly sleeping too much may not have any underlying condition at all. Daytime sleepiness may not be a symptom of a medical condition in some cases – maybe the person is just bored with life. Boredom is a serious issue for senior citizens and they may start sleeping more when their mental, physical, and emotional needs are neglected.
Sleeping more and more is a common feature of later-stage dementia . As the disease progresses, the damage to a person’s brain becomes more extensive and they gradually become weaker and frailer over time.
The most common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are sleep deprivation , obstructive sleep apnea , and sedating medications. Other potential causes of excessive daytime sleepiness include certain medical and psychiatric conditions and sleep disorders , such as narcolepsy.
Interestingly, older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults — seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need . One reason is that they often have more trouble falling asleep.
Resiberg’s system: Stage 1: No Impairment. During this stage, Alzheimer’s is not detectable and no memory problems or other symptoms of dementia are evident. Stage 2: Very Mild Decline . Stage 3: Mild Decline . Stage 4: Moderate Decline . Stage 5 : Moderately Severe Decline . Stage 6: Severe Decline . Stages 7: Very Severe Decline .
Symptoms of vascular dementia are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, although memory loss may not be as obvious in the early stages. Symptoms can sometimes develop suddenly and quickly get worse , but they can also develop gradually over many months or years.
What Causes Excessive Sleep in the Elderly ? Sleep deprivation is the most common cause of daytime sleepiness. This can be caused by something as simple as a too-warm room, too much coffee during the day or achy joints at night. Sometimes daytime fatigue stems from boredom.
Significant changes in sleep accompany aging for most adults . There are a variety of potential causes including SDB, circadian rhythm disturbances, RLS/PLMS, RBD, depression and other psychiatric disorders, medical illness, and medications.
The most common causes of excessive sleepiness are sleep deprivation and disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. Depression and other psychiatric problems, certain medications, and medical conditions affecting the brain and body can cause daytime drowsiness as well.
At a minimum, bathing once or twice a week helps most seniors avoid skin breakdown and infections. Using warm washcloths to wipe armpits, groin, genitals, feet, and any skin folds also helps minimize body odor in between full baths. However, some dementia caregivers say it’s actually easier to bathe every day.
Most healthy older adults age 65 or older need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to feel rested and alert. But as you age, your sleep patterns may change.
65 years
During the middle stages of Alzheimer’s , it becomes necessary to provide 24 – hour supervision to keep the person with dementia safe. As the disease progresses into the late-stages, around-the-clock care requirements become more intensive.
The Seven Stages of Dementia Stage 1: No impairment. Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline . Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline . Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline . Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline .
Sundowning is a distressing symptom that affects people in mid- to late-stage Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Also known by the term ‘late-day confusion ‘, it refers to the agitation and confusion often experienced by those with dementia towards the end of the day – hence the term ‘sundowning’. for your family.