Literature Review: Therapeutic Management of Sleep Disorders in the Elderly

Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Thesis

College/School

College of Nursing

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Program Concentration

Gerontological Primary Care Specialization

Abstract

Nearly half of older adults in the community experience some sort of sleep related problem (Foley et al., 1995). Fetveit and Bjorvatn state that in the institutionalized setting, about 72% of older adults complain of problems with sleep (as cited in Rao et al., 2005). These prevalence rates are too significant to overlook. Furthermore, the approach towards treating insomnia in the elderly differs from the average younger adult since there are a number of factors that can ultimately guide treatment protocol for this age group, in particular due to physiological changes. The purpose of this literature review is to explore and identify the various treatment approaches for some of the common sleep disorders that contribute to insomnia in the elderly population. The primary research question for this literature review will examine effective treatment regimens for primary insomnia, secondary insomnia, sleep apnea, circadian rhythms, and RLS/PLMS. Specific aims of this review will look at the latest research that identifies pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment approaches in treating insomnia in the elderly population. At the end of this paper, there will be a brief discussion on recommendations for primary care nurse practitioners and steps they can take to ensure that elderly are properly treated for sleep disorders.

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