8 Advantages of Overnight Care for Your Senior Loved One

Unintentional injuries have become a cause of death for seniors, placed as the 7th leading cause. In this article, we will gain a better understanding of what overnight care is and how it may benefit you and your loved ones in the long run.

What is Overnight Care?

Perhaps you may be familiar with home care, which is the additional support given by a professional caregiver. This person is able to assist individuals and seniors who need help with daily living activities. With overnight care, this would mean that care services are provided throughout the night to the person in need. A night carer would be awake and alert, rendering their services available at all times.

Who Needs Overnight Care?

Engaging in a home care service is relatively flexible. However, you may wish to consider overnight care for you or your loved ones in the following circumstances:

• Difficulty in carrying out everyday activities such as washing up, moving, eating, and toileting – these may hamper you if you are awake at night and unable to do them
• Do not desire to move into a care home despite requiring assistance
• Having a home that is being adapted to be safe for a newly affected condition (e.g. recovery from an illness or medical procedure)

Engaging a professional to carry out overnight care can further ensure the safety and wellbeing of your loved ones.

Importance of Bedtime for Seniors

Getting enough sleep is always a good thing for the body in the long run. Especially when one is ageing, quality bedtime rest is vital. Although seniors also require 7 – 9 hours, they are more likely to sleep less compared to adults. Without sufficient sleep, the following issues may occur:

1. Inclined to be irritated
2. Experiencing memory trouble or bouts of forgetfulness
3. Feeling downcasted
4. More likely to get involved in a fall or accident, due to a less alert state

Reasons Why Overnight Care is Important for Your Senior Loved Ones

Having taken a glimpse at why quality bedtime is necessary for seniors, it is time to take a look at why overnight care is important for your senior loved ones. The following list is not exhaustive, but a starting point for its benefits:

• Safety and fall prevention

A person who wakes up in the middle of the night could be disorientated at first. Paired with a need to use the toilet or another task, this may risk the senior in a fall if they misplace their weight or support tool. With an overnight caregiver, this person is able to help with the senior’s needs and ensure safety.

• Mobility assistance

Perhaps your senior loved ones are not as agile or able to move about on their own. An overnight caregiver is able to assist with their mobility needs. Not only that, simply getting in and out of bed, and needing to eat medications, can be done easier.

• Respite care for the family

While many people may try to give the best care to the senior in need, sometimes you need to take a break. There is no shame in needing help from an external source. As the night shift can be especially draining, the overnight caregiver can take this slot and ensure that the family involved can be well-rested too. This allows all members to recuperate physically, mentally and emotionally.

• Hygiene care assistance

Keeping clean is vital for good health. In order to prevent infections and discomfort, having a qualified person to assist the senior is a good idea if the senior is unable to ensure their cleanliness, be it toileting or other matters. Showering may also be required if the senior needs it despite the wee hours.

• Emergency contact

An overnight caregiver may be the first point of contact in case of an emergency. This is applicable whether you are staying with the senior or not. As they are professionals, they will know what kind of symptoms require medical attention and can act promptly.

• Companionship

Loneliness can be experienced by anyone of all ages. These feelings may surface strongly when it is nighttime, as most have gone to sleep. Some seniors may also be living alone or have family members who are busy, resulting in fewer social interactions. An overnight caregiver can also provide companionship to the senior, whether the senior is interested in telling old stories or watching a television series.

• Managing sundowning

If your senior has a condition such as dementia, the hours in the late afternoon, early evening, or even the nighttime can be a source of distress. While the causes of sundowning is not well understood, it has been assumed that it may deal with confused sleep-wake cycles. Aside from giving reassurance, the caregiver is able to carry out the following tasks upon noticing the symptoms:

• • Reducing noise and clutter
  • Occupying the senior with something pleasing, such as a favourite item or pastime
  • Avoiding drinks with caffeine for the senior
  • Keeping a light schedule to prevent overtiredness

• Better sleep quality

Nighttime can bring anxiety to the family sometimes. It can be stressful to sleep and wake up not knowing if anything unfortunate has happened in the night. With an overnight caregiver, you can rest assured that your loved one is attended to. This can lead to better sleep quality. Having someone reliable to rely on can reduce stress and bring peace to the mind.

Duties of an Overnight Caregiver

An overnight caregiver is a professional that you can engage to give respite to your family members. People who have become their senior’s informal caregivers can bring tension to the relationship over time. This is due to the constant need to meet physical or medical needs, which may lead the person to feel too drained to be open socially.

These are some things to expect if you are engaging an overnight caregiver for your senior loved one:

• To get the senior ready for bedtime for quality sleep
• To administer medication (if required) in the night
• To assist with mobility needs, such as toileting
• Render support and care without affecting the dignity of the senior
• Administer checks on their health status, especially if they have an ongoing ailment
• To be aware of any changes in the senior such as agitation or anxiety
• To tidy up the senior’s bedroom for comfort

There are also other matters that an overnight caregiver can help with, should there be a need. Remember to discuss such needs beforehand to avoid conflict.

Engage an Overnight Caregiver with Homage

As you wish to provide the best care for your loved ones, why not engage with Homage’s services? Homage is able to provide quality and professional services to deliver care needs to families. Our Care Professionals are trained caregivers and licensed nurses to assist with your family’s needs.

Download our app now to find out more and start booking quality care for your loved one!