Treating sleep problems in dementia caregivers based on parent-child interventions

Interventions developed for improving sleep in parents of young children or in developmentally delayed children might also prove effective for persons with dementia and their caregivers.

We selectively reviewed the literature for interventions effective in improving sleep in parents of young children or in developmentally delayed children.

Graduated extinction and adult fading have been minimally explored in dementia populations. They are fairly brief and could be administered during primary care or dementia clinic visits. Combination strategies such as extinction and sleep-enhancing medication are very effective and may be applicable for persons with dementia and their caregivers. Physical capabilities and degree of cognitive decline of patients with dementia must be considered, and medical staff and caregivers should adjust behavioral strategies to maximize the use of patients' intact cognitive abilities.

Interventions for divergent populations prone to similar problems as those of patients with dementia might be effective and advance existing research.