Balancing sleeping with guardianship: narratives of sleep during informal dementia care

Sleep has been recognised as compromised in dementia care. This study aims to represent the experiences and needs of informal carers via sleep-related accounts. Retrospective interviews were conducted with 20 carers concerning sleep changes across the trajectory of dementia care. Key interactive narratives were around: ‘sleep as my sacrifice’; tensions between identities of being a ‘sleeper’ versus ‘guardian’; and ‘sleep as a luxury’. Maintaining healthy sleep and preferable sleep practices is challenging while balancing the responsibilities of dementia-related care. Acknowledging sleep as a sociological practice enables a greater understanding of carers’ nuanced experience and support needs.

Keywords

dementia care, narrative analysis, sleep, transitions

Citation

Gibson R, Helm A, Ross I, Gander P, Breheny M. (2024). Balancing sleeping with guardianship: narratives of sleep during informal dementia care. International Journal of Care and Caring. 8. 1. (pp. 114-129).

URI

https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/69991

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