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What Causes Sleep Disorder In An Elderly?
Question: What is the best way to keep a 90 year old man busy during the day so he wont sleep so much. He cant sleep at night and then ends up sleeping all day. he has all kinds of health problems and a foley catheter that he has on all the time. he said he's 90 and has done everything he wants to do, so trying new things doesn't interest him...he LOVES to talk. but after a while he starts to get tired of that too. and we can only chat so much...He can walk and he likes to garden, but that's too hard for him anymore. There must be something for us to do. ideas. thanks
Brief Answer:
Need for change in his sleep cycle
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
He is sleeping in day and not able to sleep at night.
At age of 90, 6 hours sleep is there in a day. If he is getting 6 hours sleep in a day , he may not be able to sleep at night.It suggests his sleep cycle is disturbed.You just keep him awake for 2-3 days in daytime somehow. This will help him to sleep at night well and able to be awake in morning then onwards.
To keep him awake , you can use music, TV , reading or take him to garden.
Armodafinil or modafinil medicine can be used with doctor's guidance.
One possibility might be depression. For diagnosis, detail history and mental status examination required by a psychiatrist.If depression is there, he can be treated for the same.You can take him for consultation with a psychiatrist.
Let me know his physical illnesses , medicines going on, education, past occupation and past or current hobbies.
Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki
Need for change in his sleep cycle
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
He is sleeping in day and not able to sleep at night.
At age of 90, 6 hours sleep is there in a day. If he is getting 6 hours sleep in a day , he may not be able to sleep at night.It suggests his sleep cycle is disturbed.You just keep him awake for 2-3 days in daytime somehow. This will help him to sleep at night well and able to be awake in morning then onwards.
To keep him awake , you can use music, TV , reading or take him to garden.
Armodafinil or modafinil medicine can be used with doctor's guidance.
One possibility might be depression. For diagnosis, detail history and mental status examination required by a psychiatrist.If depression is there, he can be treated for the same.You can take him for consultation with a psychiatrist.
Let me know his physical illnesses , medicines going on, education, past occupation and past or current hobbies.
Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Hello and thanks for answering my question.
His physical illnesses are:
Congestive heart failure
Enlarged prostate
Foley catheter full time x 3 months
history of high AND low blood pressure
uses a walker (broken hip in 2009) but walks well
Bowel resection seurgery 6 months ago (seems to be recovering pretty well)
previous bowel incontinence (getting better)
eats well, but without much excersize he chooses not to eat a lot.
previous hobbies were gardening and TALKLING telling his stories about life.
Retired in 1986 from NASA
very very intelligent
Absolutely hates to be interrupted when he talks
has frequent sexual desires (asks just about every female who comes over if she would like to have sex with him...which is funny because he cant with that catheter in either way. and he cannot unrinate one drop without it. (did trial removal several times)
I try to keep him awake but he just isn't interested in doing too much,...although hes eager when he DOES feel like it.
he stated," Im 90 years old and Ive done everything I feel like doing. I hope I never stop learning, but I just don't think I would be interested in doing____________- (fill in whatever someone suggested) today, but thank you for asking."
THATS tough to argue with.
Thank you for responding and I look forward to hearing from you
His physical illnesses are:
Congestive heart failure
Enlarged prostate
Foley catheter full time x 3 months
history of high AND low blood pressure
uses a walker (broken hip in 2009) but walks well
Bowel resection seurgery 6 months ago (seems to be recovering pretty well)
previous bowel incontinence (getting better)
eats well, but without much excersize he chooses not to eat a lot.
previous hobbies were gardening and TALKLING telling his stories about life.
Retired in 1986 from NASA
very very intelligent
Absolutely hates to be interrupted when he talks
has frequent sexual desires (asks just about every female who comes over if she would like to have sex with him...which is funny because he cant with that catheter in either way. and he cannot unrinate one drop without it. (did trial removal several times)
I try to keep him awake but he just isn't interested in doing too much,...although hes eager when he DOES feel like it.
he stated," Im 90 years old and Ive done everything I feel like doing. I hope I never stop learning, but I just don't think I would be interested in doing____________- (fill in whatever someone suggested) today, but thank you for asking."
THATS tough to argue with.
Thank you for responding and I look forward to hearing from you
Brief Answer:
He may be helped with antidepressant medicines
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for detail useful information.I appreciate your caring attitude.
He is very elder fellow with good intelligence and good job profile. He has many physical ailments. It is really good that he is improving after surgery.He is likely on few medicines for his problems.
His many physical illnesses and medicines for the same, catheter, inability to satisfy sexual needs and symptom of lack of interest in doing things suggest he may have some underlying depression.
For diagnosis you need to take him psychiatrist in personal at least once.If doctor finds depressive features, he can be helped with suitable medicines.
Whenever you consult psychiatrist, take all his past and current medical records and medicines with you. Some of medicines may cause depressive features.
After detail evaluation(history and mental status examination) psychiatrist may help him as well as you to find out the activities which he would like to do.
Hope this answer would be helpful.I will be glad to answer more.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
He may be helped with antidepressant medicines
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for detail useful information.I appreciate your caring attitude.
He is very elder fellow with good intelligence and good job profile. He has many physical ailments. It is really good that he is improving after surgery.He is likely on few medicines for his problems.
His many physical illnesses and medicines for the same, catheter, inability to satisfy sexual needs and symptom of lack of interest in doing things suggest he may have some underlying depression.
For diagnosis you need to take him psychiatrist in personal at least once.If doctor finds depressive features, he can be helped with suitable medicines.
Whenever you consult psychiatrist, take all his past and current medical records and medicines with you. Some of medicines may cause depressive features.
After detail evaluation(history and mental status examination) psychiatrist may help him as well as you to find out the activities which he would like to do.
Hope this answer would be helpful.I will be glad to answer more.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Answered by
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