If the person you care for doesn’t sleep at night, they wander around or they need to be turned in bed or changed and you’re on your own this is seriously tough on you. I only had this situation for a few weeks but I would venture to say that it’s not sustainable and you need to have help. You either need to have overnight carers or even a live in carer. In the UK when someone reaches this stage it is likely that they’re eligible for funding from CHC or you may be in the wonderful situation where they – or even you – can afford to pay for overnight carers. If they are not eligible for funding and you don’t have the budget for overnight carers then you will be faced with either getting very disrupted sleep and putting your own physical well being at risk or having to face the fact that your cared for now needs a higher level of carer than you’re able to provide and you need to find a care or nursing home for them. This may not be what they want. It may not be what you want for them. If however you bury your head in the sand one day you will be ill and they’ll have to go into care on a safeguarding basis and then it may not be a care or nursing home that you would have chosen for them and you may not be able to get them out of care and back home.
CarersUK provides some useful tips on getting sleep:
- Make sure your bedroom is comfortable – not too hot, cold or noisy.
- Try not to work or have your computer or TV in your bedroom.
- Get some regular exercise – swimming and walking are ideal – but try not to do this too near to bedtime as it may keep you awake.
- Take a look at your mattress. It should be firm enough to support you comfortably, but not so firm that you feel perched on top of it. You should try to replace your bed every 10 years so that it maintains maximum support and comfort.
- Try to cut down on tea and coffee in the evening.
- Try not to eat or drink a lot late at night – have your evening meal earlier if you can.
- Don’t drink too much alcohol. It may help you fall asleep, but makes you more likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
- Spend some time relaxing before you go to bed – a warm bath may help. There are many different relaxation techniques. You could try tapes and books available in your local library or you could join a class.
- Try to keep a regular pattern of going to bed and rising at the same time every day, even if you are not tired
- Keep a notepad by your bed so that if you are worried about something, you can write it down and be ready to deal with it the next day.
- If you still cannot sleep, try not to lie there worrying. Get up and do something you find relaxing like reading, watching TV or listening to quiet music. After a while you may feel tired enough to go to bed again.
- Complementary therapies such as massage or aromatherapy can be a good way to relax.
Carers UK also produce some helpful factsheets: