ALS, not sleeping??? Live in Nurse??

Question

We can't seem to get Mother to sleep, tried everything, Dr's doubled her dosage, is it the ALS that's making her so uncomfortable?
She needs to be moved 1 or 2 times during the night, says she can't get comfortable(and, HAS to have her little dog sleep in the bed with her, and the dog sometimes knocks her leg off the bed, or mother get's pushed to side of bed, and the live in Nurse is complaining about not getting her 8hrs sleep, isn't this her job? Sh e is the 2nd Nurse wanting to quit because of this sleeping matter.

Answer 1

Older people just don't sleep in long stretches. They nap and wake in cycles all day. Keeping her awake doesn't always help her sleep longer at night. My mom is 96 and hasn't slept a full night in over 15 years. When she does sleep for 3-4 hours straight she is very stiff when she wakes and her back hurts her worse than during the nap/awake routine she usually has.

I fired a nurse that was suppose to stay with her because she didn't want to lose any of her 8 hours of sleep at night. When you pay them to care for your mom, they should consider that their job for the time they are there. If they can't handle the job.....fire them! You are not a easy cash job for them to earn money sleeping! When you are the employer you have a right to lay down work expectations, if they accept the job, then they accept the expectations.

Start looking for another nurse. One that wants to work, not sleep.

Answer 2

This nurse you are talking about can get her 8 hours sleep after her job is done.... if she is sleeping on the job.... FIRE HER & REPORT HER!! Be your Mom's advocate and don't settle for less than she deserves.

Also your Mom may sleep better if she is turned and repositioned more often. People move constantly in their sleep therefore if that ability is taken away by illness, they become very sore very quickly. If she isn't moved every 2 hours or so, her circulation will decrease at her pressure points and she will develop pressure or bed sores. She should have a lotion back rub 2-3 times in an 8 hour shift, and be turned at least 4 times. The dog will adjust.

I know this sounds like it would keep her awake all night, but the turning and repositioning with pillows and such only takes 5-10 minuted each time and she may even fall asleep getting the back rubs. Heels, ears, shoulders, buttocks, calves and any other area that touches the mattress are in danger of skin and tissue breakdown. Body pillows would help with keeping her in position and also from allowing the dog to knock her legs off the bed.

I would get rid of that nurse first, find someone who is working for the best interest of your Mom. ALS is a horrible disease and your Mom deserves to be comfortable and waited on by these nurses. I am sure they aren't working for free.

I hope this helps... I know it is long.

Good Luck to you!!

Answer 3

instead of having a live in nurse you need to have 2 or 3 nurses so that the night nurse can stay awake. Schedule them for 8-14 hour shifts. As for your mother, to help her sleep, have the evening nurse give her a nice warm bath, lotion her up with lavander lotion. Play some soft music when she's in bed and dont let her have nothing with caffeine after 5. Medication doesn't always help someone to sleep. Maybe your mother is in bed too much and not stimulated enough during the day. Keep her busy during the day and change her bed time to an hour or 2 later. Also about the dog, once your mother is sleeping get the dog off the bed.

Answer 4

First of all it is THEIR JOB to tend to your mother weather they get sleep or not. Their first concern should NOT be THEMSELF but your mother. So, your anger there is understandable.

A lot of older people have a rough time sleeping at night, weather it's due to their condition or just simply because they are getting older. Since their activities deminish drasticly they have no true way have burning off the energy they do have. The dog in her bed is a "comfort" for her so, I wouldn't try taking that security blanket away from her. However, her condition maybe causing her to be so uncomfortable that she just can't sleep. Doubling the dose is great if it works but it dosn't seem to be helping. So maybe it's time for a change of medicication or adding a new one. Try to get your mother more involved during the day (live nurses job) they just can't sit around and watch t.v. and ask the live in nurses how often she is napping in the day. If she is napping durning the day a lot then this is the culprit and she has her days and nights mixed up.(normal we all have done sometime or another)

Being woke up 1 or 2 x's a night disrupts your sleep cycle and most for most of us it is difficult to go back to sleep. While you can't stop moving her around, if she isn't all that tired when she goes to bed then this makes things that much harder for her. You didn't say what limitations your mother had so, I will throw a suggestion out, if she can hold her own book find books that she will be interested in that she can read at night once she is in bed or if she can't get back to sleep, something she can pick up and read till she is ready to fall asleep again. If holding a book is not an option a t.v. in her room or books on tapes are another way she can relax herself again after being turned to help her go back to sleep.
I hope this helps and wish your mother a peaceful night of sleep!

Answer 5

ALS is a horrible disease that causes immobility without sensory loss. There can be shooting pain in the arms and legs, pain from pressure points, and achy bones. I agree with the nurse who also answered the question, when she said your mom needs to be turned every 2 hours in order to prevent skin breakdown.
Night nurses in nursing homes who fall asleep on the job are immediately terminated, for good reason. They are there to minister to the patients' needs, and that is impossible if the nurse is asleep.
You need to find a new nurse; I know that can be difficult. If there is a senior resource center near you, call them for a few names. Interview carefully, and be sure to tell them what you expect of them.

Answer 6

Yes this is the nurses job, if your mother stays awake at night then so should the nurse. Is your mother sleeping a lot in the daytime?