Sleep deficit, fatigue, and health in family caregivers of persons with dementia awaiting placement

Abstract

Sleep, fatigue, and health have been extensively explored in family caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD). However, no published studies have looked at these variables during the time of awaiting placement, an important period of family caregiving. In this study, 41 family caregivers of PWD were interviewed following placement of their care recipient on the waitlist (T1), immediately prior to admission (T2) and following admission to long-term care (T3). Correlation and hierarchical regression were utilized to explore the relationships among these key variables. We found that sleep deficit, fatigue, and health were interrelated at T1 and T2, and fatigue and health were related at T3. Sleep deficit predicted poor health at T3. We found that sleep deficit predicted fatigue at each of the three time points. Nurses need to pay special attention to the sleep needs of family caregivers of persons with dementia who are awaiting placement.