*. Supervision. Do not restrain a person with dementia when they are in bed. If the person can open a lock, you may need to get a new latch or lock. I was really worried and didnt know what to do. Whenever possible, the patient should sleep on the lower level. Floor 17 Chicago, IL 60601. Various monitors exist which can enable you to know when the person is out of bed or has left the room. If the person has trouble sleeping at night, it can be helpful to limit daytime naps. Behavior occurs once a month in the middle of the night and results in the person turning on all the lights in the house and waking up family members. How will Alzheimer's disease affect independent living? Such devices prevent you from staying awake unnecessarily and do not interfere with the persons privacy. Often when a person is depressed, their sleep is disrupted. what is really important to them or bothering them). In case they do get out of the house, make it easier to find your Confusing night with day People with dementia may suffer from insomnia, or wake in the early hours and become disoriented. WebMD has tips to help them (and you) get more rest. My mother has difficulty sleeping at night. Talk to the physician about the best times of day for taking medication. Nonverbal behaviors of others, especially if stress or frustration is present, may inadvertently contribute to the stress level of person living with Alzheimers. If you suspect that the person with dementia is suffering from depression (please see chapter on feeling depressed/having depression) you should consult a doctor, as he or she may be able to help. Alzheimer's Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. My mum was in an EMI home where wandering around was considered par for the course and I This might make the person tired during the day and they may sleep for long periods, which might be very stressful for you. Do not physically restrain the person; it can make agitation worse. If you cannot install a safety gate (or if the kitchen is on the same floor as the persons bedroom), it would be a good idea to lock the kitchen door at night. Put a sign on the bathroom door or leave the light on at night Look for patterns and triggers. Make sure that all doors leading out of the building are locked. 3) At night, motion sensors can alert caregivers of a wandering loved one. They may get dressed or try to leave the house. Consider a keyed deadbolt, or add another lock placed up high or down low on the door. Six in 10 people living with dementia will wander at least once; many do so repeatedly. A person with dementia may keep getting up during the night and may become disorientated when they wake up. Anxiety is common in dementia patients. 225 N. Michigan Ave. 225 N. Michigan Ave. Then a friend suggested fitting a safety gate at the top of our stairs, which I did. 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