Implementation and Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Geriatric Primary Care

We evaluated a plan for implementation and effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in geriatric primary care by a geropsychologist.

The flow of referrals to a geropsychologist was tracked and, among those eligible and interested in participating, success in deprescribing sleep medications and the effectiveness of CBT-I were documented.

Seventy patients were referred for evaluation of whom 62 were eligible for CBT-I; 34 began CBT-I and 29 completed a full course of treatment. Almost two-thirds of treatment completers were the "old old" (76-84 years) and "oldest old" (85-93 years) with multiple medical problems. Most treatment completers taking sleep medications had them deprescribed at the beginning of treatment and, one year after treatment, did not have them re-prescribed. After CBT-I, two-thirds of patients met the insomnia severity index criteria for response; and three-fifths for remission from insomnia. Further, most patients had sustained improvement in their target insomnia symptom(s) and sleep efficiency.

CBT-I can be implemented in geriatric primary care with successful deprescribing of sleep medications and meaningful improvement in symptoms of insomnia in a group of older adults of advanced age with multiple medical problems.

Clinical gerontologists can play an important role in improving late life insomnia.