Effects of the Nursing Home System on Subjective Sleep Quality and Bed Climate of Residents

• Published in: Journal of Home Economics of Japan Vol. 51; no. 3; pp. 223 - 229
• Main Authors: OKAMOTO-MIZUNO, Kazue, KUDOH, Yuko, YOKOYA, Tomoaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japan Society of Home Economics 15.03.2000; 一般社団法人 日本家政学会
• Subjects: ADL; aged; bed climate; nursing home; sleeps; 寝床内気候; 睡眠; 養護老人ホーム; 高齢者
• ISSN: 0913-5227; 1882-0352
• DOI: 10.11428/jhej1987.51.223

Bed climate and the subjective sleep quality of the aged in two different nursing homes (NH) were surveyed. Thirty aged volunteers were selected from nursing homes in central Tokyo (T) and in a suburb of Nagano (N). They were divided into four groups depending on their NH and Activity of Daily Living (ADL). The four groups were : subjects with almost no problems in daily life with a high ADL score [T-high, N-high] and subjects who normally stayed in bed all day with a low ADL score [T-low, N-low]. The temperature and humidity of the bedroom and bed climate, the circadian rhythm of subjective sleepiness, vitality and overall feeling, and subjective sleep quality were surveyed. The bedroom temperature was lower and the humidity was higher in the N-high and N-low compared to the T-high and T-low. The bed climate in the daytime was significantly lower in the T-high compared to the other groups. The bed climate at night did not show any significant difference among the groups which were maintained at 32-34°C and 50-60% RH. The daytime sleepiness was lowest in the T-high compared to the other groups and that of the T-low tended to be lower than in the N-low. The subjective sleep quality was significantly higher in the T-high and T-low compared to the N-high and N-low. These results suggest that subjective sleep quality may differ depending on the nursing home and it has a high possibility of showing improvement by changing the caregiving system.