SLEEP IN THE ELDERLY: EXPERIENCES, EXPECTATIONS AND ADAPTATIONS.
Contributors: University of Florida.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 133
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.
Description: The purpose of this research is to determine the relationship between self-report of sleep behavior among non-institutionalized elderly and their expectations regarding sleep. Sleep facilitators utilized to manage sleep disturbances and affective responses to sleep behavior changes are also explored. It is important that nurses understand sleep behavior changes experienced by non-institutionalized elderly so that effective nursing care can be planned and implemented for clients in the community, hospitals, and institutions. Findings from this research help to validate the objective behavioral theory of sleep proposed by Webb.

The sample consisted of 282 subjects over the age of 65 who reported to the Dunedin Program clinic from September 28, 1987, to November 25, 1987. Subjects took the Sleep Questionnaires home to complete after consenting to participate.

Subjects consistently rated their sleep as having been better when they were younger. Subjects reported having slept better, gotten enough sleep, felt more rested upon awakening, enjoyed sleep more, and experienced deep sleep when they were younger.

Emotional stress was the most frequently selected behavioral inhibitor of sleep. A disproportion was found between the number of subjects who identified emotional stress as a factor in sleep disturbance (n = 67) and the number of subjects who found relieving emotional stress to be an effective sleep facilitator (n = 24).

Behavioral facilitators employed when sleep disturbances occurred included relaxing, reading, and praying. Few subjects (6%) sought help from health care professionals or family and friends for sleep disturbances. When asked how they feel when they experience sleep disturbances, the most frequent response indicated they accept the disturbance.

Implications for nursing include utilizing this information to assess sleep patterns of the elderly, to plan and implement nursing care, and to educate clients experiencing sleep disturbances. Gerontological nurses, as experts on normal age related changes, educate other health care providers regarding age related changes in sleep patterns and sleep facilitators the elderly find useful in dealing with sleep disturbances.

Longitudinal research is needed to substantiate age related sleep behavior changes. Further research is also needed to determine the generalizability of sleep facilitators to larger numbers of the elderly.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-01, Section: B, page: 0125.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, 1988.

School code: 0070.