Types of care
Overnight care
Overnight care is home care provided during the night. Some overnight caregivers stay awake to help with toileting, repositioning, or safety. Others sleep nearby and wake when needed. The arrangement should be agreed in advance, because awake and asleep shifts differ in cost and in what they can handle.
Why it matters for your family
Night is a risky time for people with dementia, mobility problems, or a high fall risk. Confusion, trips to the bathroom, and wandering often rise after dark. Overnight care gives family members rest and gives the older adult help when needed. Before booking, ask whether the caregiver stays awake, how often the client needs help, and how the caregiver handles an emergency. A common mistake is choosing a sleeping shift for someone who is up many times a night. Overnight care can be one shift, or part of live-in or 24-hour care.
Source: alz.org
Related terms
- Live-in careLive-in care is home care in which one caregiver lives in the client's home and supports them through the day and night.
- 24-hour care24-hour care is home care in which a caregiver is awake and on duty at all times, usually through several caregivers working shifts.
- SundowningSundowning is increased confusion, anxiety, or agitation that some people with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia feel from late afternoon through night.
- Fall riskFall risk is the chance that a person will fall and be hurt.
- WanderingWandering is when a person with dementia leaves a safe place or walks around without a clear purpose and may become lost.
- ToiletingToileting, as an activity of daily living, means getting to and from the toilet, using it, and cleaning up afterward.
