Expert: Paula Damgaard - 10/16/2009

Question
My dad is 85, has moderate Alzheimer's and dementia.  At home he would sleep 20-22 hours each day.  Can that be due to not getting enough deep sleep?  At the nursing home, they put him in a large chair without head rest, where he's slumped over sleeping.  Is there a need to have patients sitting up for long hours during the day?  Can't they allow him to lie down most of the day?  He gets daily physical therapy.

Answer
Hi Carl, we are not sure why some dementia patients sleep like your father and why some don't sleep at all!  Knowing what I know, you are luckier than the families with the ones that are up 24-48 hours at a time!  

Having said that, there is no reason why they have him in a chair like that!  There are chairs specifically made for patients that sleep alot - geri-chairs.  They get them out of bed moving around to prevent bedsores, but that is no reason to put him in a straight back chair.  Ask them for one.

Hope this helps, Paula