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. 2011 Dec;29(4):247-51.
doi: 10.3109/02813432.2011.628243.

Nursing home residents' self-perceived resources for good sleep

Wolfram J Herrmann  1 , Uwe Flick
Affiliations

Nursing home residents' self-perceived resources for good sleep

Wolfram J Herrmann et al. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2011 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To explore the nursing home residents' self-perceived resources for good sleep.

Design: A qualitative research design. Episodic interviews were conducted, and analysis was done using thematic coding.

Setting: Five German nursing homes from different providers.

Subjects: Thirty nursing home residents who were at least 64 years old and oriented to place and person.

Results: The nursing home residents' self-perceived resources for good sleep can be classified into three general patterns: calmness, daily activity, and environmental factors. The residents see calmness as a psychological state and a prerequisite for good sleep. Rumination was reported as the main reason for disruption of calmness. Daily activity is also seen by residents to foster sleep, but most residents do not know how to be physically active. Environmental factors such as fresh air, silence, or the type of bed contribute individually to good sleep; however, nursing home residents usually lack strategies to foster these resources by themselves.

Conclusion: The nursing home residents' self-perceived resources for good sleep--calmness, daily activity, and environmental factors--can be starting points for non-pharmacological treatment of sleep disorders. The residents' primary care physicians should explore these individual resources during consultation and attempt to foster them.

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