ABSTRACT

The sleep quality for the community-dwelling elderly people,residents of the long-term care facility, and hospitalized elderlypeople were investigated in this study. Age differences in thequality were only found for the residents of the care facility. Forthe hospitalized elderly people, the quality was significantlydependent upon the length of hospitalization. Also depression,anxiety, insomnia, chronic lung diseases, and bone joint diseaseswere identified as clinical factors that were associated with thepoor sleep. Systematic assessment of sleep quality or disturbanceas well as sleep intervention (e.g., emotional nursing care) orstrategic nursing plans were suggested in the nursing setting inorder to improve both the quality for the hospitalized elderly peopleand residents of the care facility.