Author:

Keywords:

Elderly, innovation, comfort, sleep

Abstract:

Effect of an Airbreeze mattress and cushion cover on sleep quality and comfort in elderly in nursing homes. Katrin Gillis, MScN, RN; Ella Roelant, PhD, MSc ; Marianne De Witte, BS Background Insomnia is a significant problem for older adults and non-pharmacologic measures should be considered as the first line of therapy in any plan for optimal long-term control. 1 Aim To examine the effect of Airbreeze mattress and cushion cover as a non-pharmacological interventions on sleep quality and comfort in elderly. Method A randomized interventional study was set up in 3 nursing homes. Only mentally competent residents were included. Demographic, functional and medication characteristics were collected. Total and subtotal quality of sleep was measured by using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Quality of sleep, comfort, sweating and pain was measured before, after 1 month and after 3 month of implementation of the intervention. In the intervention group, a cushion cover was added after sleeping one month on the mattress cover. Linear mixed models were used for calculating differences in evolution of pain and total mean sleep quality over time. Logistic regression was used to investigate on which parameters the intervention had significant interaction over time. Results Of the 95 residents, 47 received the intervention. There were no differences in demographic, functional and medication characteristics (mean age 85,0 y; 68% female; 48% use of benzodiazepines). Before the intervention no significant differences were found in sleep quality, comfort, sweating and pain. After implementation, no effect was found on the evolution of pain (p=0,596) and total mean sleep quality (p=0,716). The intervention had a positive, but weak, interaction over time on comfort (p=0,018) and sleep duration (p=0,004). Conclusion Despite the small number of participants, a small effect on comfort and sleep duration is shown. Airbreeze mattress and cushion cover may contribute to increase sleep quality of residents in nursing homes as part of a multiple-strategy. 1. Mihai C. Teodorescu, MD, Noor F. Husain, MD. (2010) Nonpharmacologic Approaches to Insomnia in Older Adults. Annals of Long-Term Care, 18; 10