How Family Caregivers Can Manage Overnight Care Effectively

Caregiving at night is an essential but sometimes overwhelming task. This blog provides tips on preparing your home for nighttime safety and how to prioritize your own sleep and well-being in the process.

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1. Preparing the Home for Overnight Care
2. Managing Sleep and Rest Schedules
3. Ensuring Patient Comfort and Safety at Night
4. Managing Caregiver Stress and Health
5. Helpful Caregiver Resources

The first step of successful overnight care is a well-prepared home. Your loved one may need assistance at night for many reasons, from bathroom trips, wetting the bed, or wandering around the house. A safe, quiet, and calm environment is essential for overnight care.

You can use the following safety checklist to create a safer environment for your loved one and prepare for nighttime care. Overnight caregiving basics include:

• Clean up clutter:
  Put away clutter and fragile or sharp objects in a place where they cannot be easily reached.

• Make sure the house is well-lit:
  Use nightlights to help your loved one move around at night. Place lights in areas like the bathroom and at the top and bottom of stairs.

• Check for tripping hazards:
  Ensure all walking areas are clear of any obstructions, such as furniture or extension cords. Mats and throw rugs can slide and curl up at the corners, causing falls. Secure any carpeted areas or rugs to the floor for safety.

• Put child locks on drawers and cupboards:
  Lock away dangerous items like kitchen knives and other sharp or breakable things. You can also install a safety gate to prevent your loved one from entering any room you wouldn't want them to access alone.

• Pad any sharp furniture corners:
  Cushion sharp corners or remove furniture with sharp corners entirely to help prevent injury.

• Change the water heater temperature to 120° Fahrenheit:
  Turn down the heat of your water heater to prevent scalding hot tap water.

• Set up alarms and monitors:
  If your loved one often wanders at night, consider buying a bed alarm, as it can alert you to any movement. The use of bed alarms and monitors enables you to listen for any noise and keep track of your loved one's movements.

• Keep important medical supplies close by:
  Set aside any supplies your loved one may need in a spot that is easy for you to reach. For your loved one, ensure they have what they need to move around safely, such as a walker or a cane.

Medical supplies you and your loved one may need at night can include, but are not limited to:

• Adult diapers
• Disposable underpads
• Wipes
• Safety alarms
• Bedside fall protection mats
• Bedwetting sensors
• Commodes and commode liners
• Non-slip bath mats

How can you get a good night's rest while being an overnight caregiver? Managing someone else's sleep disturbances AND getting sleep yourself can be difficult without any help.

Door, bed, and room alarms can help alleviate some of the stress of monitoring and allow you to get a better night's sleep. These alarms can alert you to movement the moment it occurs, allowing you to assist as needed as soon as possible without having to constantly monitor.

If your loved one requires regular incontinence care, consider setting alarms to remind you of scheduled diaper changes and cleaning. However, frequent alarms throughout the night can disrupt sleep.

If your loved one frequently needs to use the bathroom at night, consider using a commode chair. You can set up a commode near the bed, allowing your loved one to toilet independently. This can help prevent accidents when they are unable to reach the bathroom in time. It also gives you more time to rest, rather than waking up multiple times at night.

Your loved one's space should be set up for both comfort and safety. Make their bedroom an area that is both comfortable for them to rest in and easy to navigate at night. Your nighttime safety setup can make all the difference in creating a safe environment for extended care.

• Install nightlights or motion-activated lights:
  A well-lit space helps you and your loved one move safely at night. This can prevent injuries and make your caregiving tasks easier.

• Keep mobility aids for overnight use nearby:
  Make sure your loved one can easily access their walker or cane. This will help them move around the house safely and avoid falls.

• Invest in an adjustable bed:
  An adjustable bed can help your loved one sleep better. This is especially true if they are bedridden or have chronic pain. It can also take the strain off you, especially if you need to adjust, shift, and turn your loved one frequently. Adjustable beds are designed to aid with caregiving duties.

• Use a pressure-relieving mattress:
  A pressure-relieving mattress or mattress overlay is essential for individuals who are bedridden or spend a significant amount of time in bed, as it can help prevent pressure wounds and bedsores.

• Add fall safety mats:
  A fall protection mat next to the bed can help prevent injury in the event of an accident where you can't reach your loved one in time.

• Keep important supplies nearby:
  Store a supply of any products you might need to use throughout the night, especially disposable products like wipes, underpads, and diapers. If your loved one needs medication doses throughout the night, keep medication close by but in a place only you can access.

• Position the bed strategically:
  If your loved one is prone to falling out of bed, consider placing the bed against the wall. This reduces the risk of falling by half, as there will only be one side to roll off instead of two. Additionally, you can place a bedside fall foam mat for extra protection.

• Create a rummage bag:
  Those with Alzheimer's or dementia are prone to wandering and rummaging at night. Provide them with a safe outlet for this energy with a "rummage bag" filled with safe-to-handle items. You can determine what items are best for this rummage bag by observing what objects your loved one usually likes to handle or fidget with.

Night shifts can take a lot out of you, and staying in good health benefits both you and your loved one. Some tips for taking care of yourself while being a caregiver include:

• Alzheimers.gov
• Eldercare Locator
• Family Caregiver Alliance
• Lifespan Respite Care Program
• National Family Caregiver Support Program