Category Archives: Compassionate Touch®

AAHHHH….. To Sleep Like a Baby Again. Is it Possible?

I know I’m not the only one munching on graham crackers and milk in the wee hours.  For those of you who sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed and energized… well let’s just say the rest of us are green with envy.

Good quality sleep is not overrated.  It’s absolutely essential to our health and well being.  According to Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, director of the Cleveland Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, “We now know sleep is an active process – all your organ systems behave differently during sleep, restoring themselves.”

During sleep,  our bodies are busy at work repairing itself, cleansing toxins, reducing inflammation.  And in recent years, research has linked higher risks of brain disorders, diabetes and obesity to sleep deprivation.

People living with dementia are certainly not immune to sleep challenges.  Disturbances can be caused by changes in the brain that cause restlessness,  urine or prostate problems, pain or discomfort, sleeping too much during the day, nightmares or environmental factors (for example external noise or feeling too hot or cold).

As dementia progresses, routine becomes more important to one’s feeling of safety and security.  This is certainly true with evening and bedtime rituals.  Not unlike what all of us should practice, here are a few reminders of what may help prepare for a better night’s sleep:

  • Light exercise in early evening, and wind down 90 minutes before bedtime.  Electronic devices should be minimized.
  • Dozing should be discouraged, as this may make falling asleep even more difficult.
  • Avoid tea, coffee, sodas or alcohol should be discouraged, as all of these can have an opposite effect, especially for someone living with dementia.
  • Make sure bed and room temperature is comfortable (cooler is generally better than warmer).
  • A regular routine of listening to soft music, a light back rub or applying aromatherapy lotion may be very helpful in creating a calming atmosphere that may induce sleepiness.

As more holistic therapies for sleep are ushered into person-centered care practices, less use of pharmacological aids will be needed.  Side effects of sleep-inducing drugs can have negative consequences on quality of life for those living with dementia and their care partners.

Pam Brandon is President/Founder of AGE-u-cate® Training Institute.  Their groundbreaking program Compassionate Touch® is a practical and feasible means to reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and crete positive engagement of elder, staff and family caregivers.  

www.AGEucate.com

 

Why Touch Works in Dementia Care

Why Touch Works in Dementia CareWhat is it about skilled touch that decreases distress for those living with dementia that can lead to behavioral symptoms?  Common responses include decreased aches and pains; sensory stimulation resulting in increased body awareness; relaxation; aids sleep; decreased feelings of loneliness; uplifted mood.

The following is an excerpt from The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Slow-stroke Back Massage and Hand Massage on Relaxation in Older People (2010) Melodee Harris and Kathy C Richards, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19, 917–926

“In recent years, the nursing profession used technology and pharmacology to relieve conditions such as pain, anxiety and insomnia that were once treated with massage. However, interest in massage has grown with the move to more holistic nursing. This review examines the physiological and psychological effects of slow-stroke back massage and hand massage on relaxation in older people and identifies effective protocols for massage in older people.

Outcomes on psychological indicators are consistent with strong physiological indicators for slow-stroke back massage on relaxation in older people. Statistically significant results and improvements for physiological and psychological indicators are associated with decreasing agitation and promoting relaxation using hand massage in older people. Stronger correlations were found between slow-stroke back massage and psychological responses in older people. The effects of massage for reducing anxiety and increasing relaxation were recurring themes suggesting that slow stroke back massage reduces psychological stress. The studies on hand massage reported a consistent reduction in verbal aggression and non-aggressive behaviour in persons with dementia.”

Hand massage and slow-stroke back massage are a part of the Compassionate Touch® program. Care-partners of all kinds can learn to use touch in a focused way to increase quality of life for those living with dementia.

Touch Builds Bridges to Dementia Patients

Touch. Imagine not being touched. Imagine for a whole day no one touches you in any way.   Imagine no one shakes your hand, pats your arm, gives you a hug, or clasps your shoulder. Now imagine that for a whole week, a month, a year.

touch

People of advanced age can experience this lack of touch – the children are grown and may live far away and their partner may have died. People living with dementia are especially prone to physical contact deprivation leading to a feeling of isolation and depression and ofttimes agitation with them selves due to frustration and apathy. Continue reading