Background

Sleep disturbances in persons with dementia living in the community often include frequent nighttime awakenings, wandering and other behavioral symptoms. Caring for a person with dementia experiencing sleep disturbances is challenging for family caregivers, and is often reported as the reason for institutionalization.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the safety feasibility of implementing a warm lavender oil towel bath in participants’ homes to improve total nocturnal sleep time (total numbers of hours slept), sleep latency (amount of time it takes one to fall asleep), sleep maintenance (amount of time remained asleep) and reduce daytime napping (excessive sleeping during the day).

Methodology

This pilot study consisted of a single group design with repeated measures at 1 week and 2 weeks following baseline assessments. A convenience sample of 10 community-dwelling persons with dementia and their family caregivers participated in the study. The warm lavender oil towel bath intervention consisted of nursing assistants implementing a bed bath for 7 days before bedtime. An actigraph was used to measure sleep and a Skin Condition Data Form was used to measure allergic reactions. Participants completed an evaluation form to evaluate the interventions. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank and Skin Problem Index was computed to assess individual differences in the pre-test and intervention scores.

Results

The findings suggest that the warm lavender towel bath intervention may be a feasible and safe intervention to use in community dwelling persons with dementia experiencing sleep disturbances.

Conclusions and Implications for Nursing Practice

Developing safe, efficient and effective interventions which can improve sleep in community dwelling persons with dementia. A warm lavender oil towel bath may be a quick and easy intervention for caregivers to use when assisting community dwelling persons with dementia to sleep, and may prevent caregiver burnout and institution of persons with dementia.