Dementia and weighted blankets: The solution to improve sleep and behavior
Treating dementia is a complex challenge that includes not only medical care but also emotional support and care. In this context, new approaches are constantly being researched to improve the quality of life of those affected and make their everyday lives easier. One promising innovation in this field is weighted blankets. A case study from the University of Tokyo examined their possibilities.
Participant: The case study participant was a woman in her 80s who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for approximately 30 years. She lived in a care home and had symptoms such as night wandering, collecting things and strange eating habits. At the start of the study, she had a clinical dementia score of 3 (severe dementia) and care level of 5 (extreme care needs). She suffered from sleep disturbances, night wandering and hallucinations.
Procedure: The study began with the use of conventional nursing care to treat the patient's sleep disturbances, which resulted in a slight increase in sleep duration, but nighttime symptoms remained. The use of a weighted blanket was then tested. Over a period of 5 months, the patient's sleep status was compared before and after using the weighted blanket.
Results: Results showed a significant improvement in the patient's behavior and mental status over the 5-month period. Average sleep duration increased to 8.8 hours, and the incidence of night awakenings and wandering decreased. Both the patient's care burden and symptoms decreased significantly. Her care level was downgraded from 5 to 3, and her symptoms were downgraded from 9 to 4.
Fig. 1: Average sleep time of the patient before and after using the weighted blanket. Error bars indicate the standard deviation; squares indicate the average sleep time
Fig. 2: Frequency of night awakenings and night wandering before and after using weighted blankets. Squares show the frequency of night awakenings; triangles show the frequency of night wandering.
Conclusion: The case study highlights the potential of weighted blankets as a treatment to improve sleep and quality of life in dementia patients. Their use could play a significant role in managing nighttime symptoms and help reduce care burden.
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