Effect of individualized social activity on sleep in nursing home residents with dementia.
OBJECTIVE
To test the efficacy of an individualized social activity intervention (ISAI) on decreasing daytime sleep, improving nighttime sleep, and lowering the day/night sleep ratio and to determine its cost.


METHODS
Pretest/posttest randomized with an experimental and control group.


METHODS
Seven nursing homes.


METHODS
One hundred forty-seven residents with dementia.


METHODS
One to 2 hours of individualized social activities for 21 consecutive days.


METHODS
Twenty-four-hour sleep/wake patterns using an Actigraph.


RESULTS
The ISAI group had significantly less daytime sleep (P=.001) and a lower day/night sleep ratio (P=.03) than the control group, after adjusting for baseline values. Because 40% of the sample slept 7 or more hours at night, a secondary analysis was conducted. When only those residents with a sleep efficiency of less than 50% (n=50) were included, the ISAI group (n=20) had less daytime sleep (P=.005), a lower day/night sleep ratio (P=.02), fell asleep faster (P=.03), and were awake less at night (P=.04) than the control group (n=30), after adjusting for baseline values. The weekly cost of the ISAI was roughly $70 per participant. Initial training and supply costs were $1,944.


CONCLUSIONS
The ISAI provides an alternative to medications, without side effects.
Richards
Kathy Culpepper
KC
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72114, USA. richardskathyc@uams.edu
Beck
Cornelia
C
O'Sullivan
Patricia S
PS
Shue
Valorie M
VM
D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D012890:Sleep; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000628:therapy