The purpose of this study was describe sleep-wake rhythms of elderly people, who experienced of environmental change from their home to nursing home, continuously by using activity monitors (actigraph).
The subjects were 11 elderly people, admission to nursing home for short stay program. Mean age was 85.3(± 5.4), admission for short stay was 3 to 20 times in same nursing home. Compare actigraph data at home with nursing home, there was no statistically significant, activity count, total sleep time, total wake time, sleep episode, and amplitude.
By inspection of daily actigraph data, the pattern of change of sleep-wake rhythms were classified into 3 patterns,
(1) Monophasic sleep pattern at home and nursing home (n=5),
(2) Multiphasic sleep pattern at home and nursing home (n=5),
(3) Multiphasic sleep pattern at home, monophasic sleep pattern at nursing home (n=1).
Activity count, total wake time and amplitude was significantly decreased, and total sleep time was significantly increased multiphasic sleep pattern elderly. They were significantly increased severity of dementia (NM scale : p=0.047) and decreased activity of daily living (Barthel Index : p=0.0008). The results of this study suggest that importance of conformity care to individual sleep patterns of elderly people.
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