Connecting People, Connecting Support on-line

SPOTLIGHT ON SLEEP

Have you seen our online interactive website, Connecting People Connecting Support online Occupation Matters?

The aim of the website is to reach out to individuals, their families and those working alongside them to find ways to connect or reconnect with valued roles and occupations to support people’s health and wellbeing. We have created a clear accessible structure which mirrored the elements of the Occupational Therapy peer support group, Journeying through Dementia (Craig et al 2023) that includes Chat (ideas to promote conversation) Try (examples of things to engage in) Play (puzzles to promote stimulation and memory) and finally a link to More resources to explore.

In 2020, we designed, created and uploaded 32 themes with the addition of printable resources for individuals to download, tweeting the resources at @ScotJtDementia on a Monday and Friday. However, during the summer months, we are going to share a bit more detail on some of the resources that you could use day to day. In this week blog our SPOTLIGHT is on SLEEP.

A good night’s sleep is important for physical and emotional wellbeing. Over a lifetime our sleep patterns and the amount of sleep we need will change. However, dementia can also significantly impact on these patterns. These activities invite you to think about sleep and offer some suggestions of how to get a good night’s rest. 

Click here for conversation starters.

What is your perfect way to wake up on a morning?

Are you a lark or an owl (someone who likes to wake up early or someone who goes to bed late)?

What are your bed-time rituals and routines?
Do they help or hinder a good night’s sleep? 

Apart from sleep are there activities that help you to feel relaxed and well rested?

Click here to try activities.

The starting point to thinking about sleep is to understand what your sleep patterns are. For the next few days create a record. The sheets below might help. Pay particular attention to the activities you do leading up to bed-time and particular routines and rituals that might help.

Click here to play a game.

Here’s a game just for you!

CLICK HERE TO PLAY AND CLICK HERE TO PRINT

Click here for more online resources.

Try to do a relaxing activity as you prepare for bed.
A video such as this might help.

Questions for reflection

• what have you liked about the sleep resource?
• what would make it even better?

We hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog on our memory books. Leave any comments or feedback on our memory book resources on the blog comment section or email us at AHPDementia@alzscot.org

Reference

Craig C., Fisher H., Gray A., Hunter E., 2023 Journey through Dementia. in Maclean F., Warren A., Hunter E., and Westcott L., Occupational Therapy and Dementia Promoting Inclusion, Rights and Opportunities for People Living with Dementia. Jessica Kingsley Publishers London.