Long-term care at night: understanding sleep in care homes

INTRODUCTION: Sleep plays a significant role in the lives of older people experiencing institutional long-term care. It relates to their well being yet may also indicate a lack of stimulus and motivation to stay alert and participate in everyday life. However, to date the importance of sleep in this context has not been widely addressed. RESEARCH: This research identifies the determinants of poor sleep in care homes as part of a four year New Dynamics of Ageing Collaborative Research Project, SomnIA (Sleep in Ageing), which addresses practice and policy relevant issues arising from the nature, impact and management of the sleep-wake balance in later life. Using multi-methods data was collected in ten care homes. Over a two-week period, sleep and activity diaries are collected from 140 residents, supported by 275 h observational studies, and interviews with residents (n=40) and staff (n=78). RESULTS: A conflict between meeting care needs and the facilitation of sleep has been identified and the findings aim to inform the future development of the care home environment and provide an evidence base from which practitioners can reconfigure the delivery of care to enhance the sleep of older people living in care homes.