Although some people sleep a lot when they have cancer, difficulty sleeping isn’t unusual either. In fact, experts say that about 50 percent of people undergoing cancer treatment experience sleep problems at some point. Their inability to sleep may be because of anxiety, pain, medicine side effects, or other things. If your aging relative is being treated for cancer and having some problems sleeping, below are some tips that may help.
Encourage Sleep Whenever It Happens
People who are recovering from serious illness often need more sleep. Doctors at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America say that sleep is necessary since it allows the body to relax and heal. When a cancer patient doesn’t sleep, it can stress the body and suppress the immune system. So, if the senior should nod off during the day or decide they’d like to go lie down for a while, allow them to. They should sleep as much as their body tells them they need to.
An elderly care provider can allow the senior to sleep while they take care of things around the house. In addition to taking care of household tasks, an elderly care provider can also answer the telephone or door so the patient isn’t disturbed.
Physical and Mental Activity
When your aging relative is awake, try to encourage them to get in some physical activity. They may not be up to much, but even getting up and moving around a bit can help tire them out to encourage sleep later. If they aren’t able to move around, mental activity can also help to tire them. Try doing a puzzle or playing a game.
Elderly care providers can help seniors to walk safely around. They can also provide mental stimulation by playing a board game, helping with a puzzle, or simply offering conversation.
Comfort and Relaxation
Helping the older adult to relax near bedtime may get them ready to sleep. An elderly care provider can make the bedroom comfortable by closing blinds or curtains to darken the room, adjusting the temperature, and making sure all distractions are turned off or removed. An elderly care provider can also offer the senior a gentle back massage or foot rub to help them relax. If the senior is feeling a bit hungry, the elderly care provider can also make them a small snack.
Know When to Call the Doctor
Hopefully, all it will take to help your aging relative to sleep are some slight changes to their routine. There are some cases in which it may be necessary to contact the doctor, though. If the senior is unable to sleep at all during the night or if they seem confused in the evening and nighttime hours, call their cancer care team to report the problem. A doctor can determine the best way to treat the problem.
Sources
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/sleep-problems.html
https://www.cancercenter.com/community/newsletter/article/addressing-sleep-problems-in-cancer-patients/
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/cancer-home-treatment-for-sleep-problems-#1
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Elderly Care in St. Pete Beach, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
