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Essay On Advanced Home Care

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Advanced Home Care and Sleep Problems

If your senior loved one is finding it hard to get a good night's sleep, they are not alone. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, insomnia affects almost half of adults 60 and older and obstructive sleep apnea impacts nearly 40 percent of all adults with seniors being more susceptible than younger individuals.

While insomnia may not seem like such a big deal – just take a small nap in the afternoon – sleep disorders can have serious side effects. In fact, the journal SLEEP notes that seniors with chronic insomnia were two the three and a half times more likely to have a major depressive disorder and remain depressed longer. They are also more likely to have attention and memory problems, have a significantly increased risk of nighttime falls, and are more likely to misuse sleep aides including the consumption of alcohol (which actually makes the situation worse). …show more content…

Initially, they can help schedule a sleep study. If it is not possible or feasible to have a study conducted at a sleep clinic, they can help with the administration of a home study. The sleep study will let doctor's know if the cause of the sleep problems is sleep apnea. If so, there are a number of lifestyle modifications that can be tried or the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device may be suggested.

Other common causes of sleep problems are life choices, poor bedtime routines, and medication. In fact, a common side effect of many medications is a disruption of sleep patterns. Advanced home care personnel can help your loved one track their sleep patterns and bring the data to a physician for evaluation. If a medication is suspected of causing sleep problems, an alternative may be prescribed or another medication may be added to help with

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