The effect of individualized activities on the sleep of nursing home residents who are cognitively impaired: a pilot study.

This pilot study investigated a program of individualized activities designed to enhance nocturnal sleep in five cognitively impaired veterans residing in a dementia care unit. Actigraphy documented 24-hour sleep-wake patterns of the residents for 3 days. Those meeting the criteria for inclusion then participated in an Individualized Activity Intervention timed to occur during peak napping times for 14 days. During the 10th, 12th, and 14th days of intervention, actigraphy provided a repeat measure of sleep-wake patterns. The results indicated an increase in nocturnal sleep with increased efficiency, as well as a decrease in daytime napping. This pilot study encourages further investigation of this potential method for enhancing nocturnal sleep in cognitively impaired elderly adults.