Are you looking for live in care? Let us help

Blog

Elderly Care

Guide to Overnight Care for The Elderly

Guide to Overnight Care for The Elderly

As our elderly loved one’s age, they may find that they need additional assistance at home, especially during the evening. If this is the case, you may be wondering how you could help them without removing your own chance for a restful night’s sleep. 

Overnight care is the ideal service to help in such situations. But what exactly is overnight care? And what benefits could it provide for your elderly loved one? We discuss this and more in this blog so that you can have a comprehensive understanding of Four Oaks Healthcare and other organisations’ overnight home care services.

What is Overnight Care for The Elderly?

Overnight care is a service where an overnight carer comes to stay in your home, usually from early evening through till the following morning. It is often used for the elderly, especially those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, as they tend to have distorted sleeping patterns, which lead to them waking up during the night in confusion. 

Some elderly people experience Sundowning, a term used to refer to how individuals (like those living with the conditions mentioned above) become disoriented or confused during the late afternoon and evenings. In cases such as this, overnight caring services can come in handy and will leave you with peace of mind, with your loved one in the care of a professional. 

Benefits of Elderly overnight care 

Using overnight care presents numerous benefits for both the older person receiving the care and their family members. Here are the most important benefits of overnight home care services:

Reduced stress levels 

Perhaps you’re worried your elderly loved one is no longer able to look after themselves in the evening. Or, maybe your loved one has their own fears – they may be worried about burglaries, fear being alone once their spouse has passed away or simply don’t like to be on their own at night. 

No matter the reason, having reliable overnight care guarantees that someone is at home with your elderly loved one, providing them with overnight support, administering medication if needed, helping them with toilet breaks and helping them get a better night’s sleep. This, in turn, will put both you and your loved one’s minds to rest, relieving your loved one’s anxiety and any stress you may have about this situation. So you can sleep soundly knowing that a dedicated night-time carer is on duty throughout the night.

Reduced risk of injury 

As one ages, the potential risk of injury at home increases. From falling out of the bed to tripping on the way to the bathroom at night, there are numerous ways an elderly person could injure themselves. With a waking night carer present, they can assist your loved one and prevent any of these instances from occurring. Or, should something terrible happen, they can be there to look after them. 

What Type of Overnight Care is Available? 

Generally, there are two types of overnight care. The one best suited to your elderly loved one will depend on their needs. 

Sleep night care is best for elderly individuals who sleep relatively well throughout the night. With this, a carer will be present to help your loved one should they need assistance getting to the bathroom or taking certain medications at night. However, when they are not needed, they (the carer) will sleep. 

Alternatively, there’s waking night care. This option is recommended for elderly individuals who require close supervision, such as Dementia patients who wake up frequently or those that require more emotional support. With this form of care, the carer will remain awake throughout the night and either remain in the room with the elderly patient or be someone nearby in the house and periodically go check in on your loved one. 

Want to Arrange Overnight Care? 

Overnight care is an excellent way to ensure that your loved one is kept safe and provided with the support they may need throughout the night, in their own home. 

Here at FourOaks, we have many professional carers who have many years of experience providing overnight care services. Finding reliable overnight care doesn’t have to be hard. You can find out about this and more of our services by getting in touch.

Write a Comment