Sometimes Sleep Difficulties Can Be Safety Concerns for Seniors and Assisted Living Might Just Be the Difference-Maker

June 24, 2020 by ·

How many times in recent memory have you had a difficult night’s sleep? Most people will experience some form of sleepless night, whether it’s clinical insomnia or just added stress that keeps them up at night. For most people, difficulty sleeping is little more than a nuisance, but for seniors it can be dangerous. 

Imagine an elderly person who has diminished strength lying awake at night staring into the dark. Perhaps they managed to scrape together a couple hours of sleep before the sun finally peaked into their bedroom and woke them up. 

Are they in a good condition to get out of bed and get moving with their day? Perhaps, but most likely they will lack energy and may even struggle with focus. When those conditions are present, the risk of slipping and falling, tripping over something, or experiencing a different type of mishap can increase. 

That is why for some seniors, assisted living might be the difference in not only helping them sleep more comfortably at night, but also be safer throughout the day. 

 

How does assisted living make a difference?

Assisted Living in Daphne, AL: Sleep and Safety Concerns

There are numerous ways that a quality assisted living facility can help aging seniors navigate their day, whether they struggled to sleep at night or slept like a baby. 

First and foremost, there’s likely to be safety features installed in almost every private residence for seniors. There may be grab bars, handrails, and other devices that allow seniors to hold onto something as they get out of bed. 

There will also be staff members who have considerable experience supporting elderly men and women through various challenges they face each day. An aging senior might be able to call a staff member for help just getting out of bed because they feel groggy, unfocused, or weak. 

 

Is assisted living a guarantee of safety? 

No, but then again nothing is. No matter how many people you have supporting an elderly person or another individual who requires assistance with mobility, there is always a risk of injuries or other mishaps. 

However, because seniors are more prone to various physical challenges and injuries can be far more severe for somebody of advancing years, it is critical to make safety a top priority. 

Keep in mind that the risk of death within one year of a senior breaking their hip increases by 4 percent as they move through their 70s. By the time a senior is 80, there is a greater than one in four chance that person might not survive the year if he or she takes their hip in a fall (Schnell at al). 

There’s no reason to take the risk when assisted living is a viable option to consider. 

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Daphne, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017. 

Filed Under: Assisted Living Daphne AL, Sleep Difficulties · Tagged: ,
About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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