‘Put care home staff in pyjamas for dementia patients’

CARE HOME workers believe wearing pyjamas during nightshifts could help people with dementia know it is bedtime, according to a poll.

About one in 10 staff already don nightwear in the evening rather than a uniform or day clothes, according to a survey by carehome-co.uk. Wearing outfits that mimic night attire can help improve residents’ sleep patterns, one care home manager suggested.

A total of 59 per cent of 2,600 care home owners, managers and staff polled said they think it is a good idea to wear pyjamas at night so people with dementia know it is bedtime. Some 11 per cent said members of staff currently wear pyjamas at night to help those with dementia.

Debbie Smith, the home manager at Simonsfield Care Home, part of the Hill Care Group, said: “We thought we’d try out scrubs that mimic pyjamas for the night carers to help minimise sleep deprivation, pacing and disorientation for our residents living with dementia.

“The initiative met with a really good response from most of the residents and we’ve seen a drastic improvement in their sleep patterns, so the switch has been made permanent.”

Sue Learner, editor of carehome.co.uk, said: “It is good care home staff are thinking outside the box and trying out innovative initiatives in a bid to make life better for people with dementia.

“We need to adapt to people with dementia instead of expecting them to adapt to our way of life. We need to think how they think and imagine walking in their shoes when we are giving care.”

Some care homes had trialled pyjamas but ditched the idea as they found it confused residents.