Insomnia in elderly dementia patients.

• Insomnia in elderly dementia patients is a very common problem leading to serious Carer stress.

• Dementia patients commonly get day/night disorientation so they want to get up and have breakfast at 1am or go to work at 2am

• Nocturnal wandering, restlessness and agitation may need specific drug treatment to help the distressed patient and Carer..

• The most common causes of insomnia in elderly need to be excluded and treated such as leg cramps, restless legs, breathlessness from heart failure, pain, gastro-oesophageal reflux, chronic pain, nocturia or urinary frequency getting up at night many times to pass urine.

• Paranoid delusions, hallucinations, and aggression require drug treatment.

• Sleeping pills may not work in dementia but instead cause more confusion at night.

• Too much sedative medications will increase the risk for further confusion and falls.

• A Geriatrician home visit may be need to sort out this complex problem.

For more information read Dr Peter Lipski’s book “Your Elderly Parents Failing Health. Is It Ageing Or A Treatable Condition”.