Sleep disturbances in nursing homes.

OBJECTIVES: To review the literature on sleep disturbances in nursing home settings. Although 50% of older adults complain of sleep difficulties, increased reports of sleep disturbances are generally associated with poor health. After controlling for comorbidities that often contribute to poor sleep, studies have shown that primary sleep disturbances in healthy older adults are, in fact, rare. Although common in older adults, sleep complaints are even more prevalent in elders living in nursing homes and the sleep disturbances experienced by institutionalized older adults are more severe. Factors contributing to sleep impairment in nursing home residents include age-related changes in sleep architecture and circadian rhythms, sleep disorders, dementia, depression, other medical illness, polypharmacy, and institutional and environmental factors. It is important that nursing home residents suffering from sleep problems be evaluated and treated.

CONCLUSION: Implementing some environmental and culture changes could result in significant improvement in the sleep of nursing home residents.