Sleep and thinking in assisted-living residents: a study that is just starting

Assisted living residents who have sleep disturbances are at great risk of developing cognitive impairments. The identification of factors that increase sleep problems in this population is the first step towards improving sleep disorders and reducing and/or delaying the occurrence of cognitive impairments in this population. Physical activity has been proposed to improve sleep quality in older individuals, but there is currently no scientific evidence of how sleep mediates the relationship between physical activity and cognition in assisted living residents. This is a cross-sectional study that investigates the relationship between sleep quality, functional/physical capacity, and cognitive performance. Participants will be recruited through a non-probabilistic sampling method (convenience) as this is a feasibility study that aims to identify, for the first time, sleep disorders in assisted living residents using objective measures of sleep. Sleep quality will be measured with polysomnography, actigraphy, and questionnaire. Functional and physical capacity will be assessed through walking tasks and actigraphy. Cognitive tasks will be used to assess memory. This study will bring new insights into the factors that affect the quality of life and sleep in assisted living residents. The evidence-based knowledge acquired on-site will be translated and shared with the local and global scientific community to raise awareness of the factors that contribute to increasing institutionalization and dependent living. Results obtained from objective and subjective measures of sleep will be of great importance to develop specialized clinical expertise and behavioral interventions that will meet residents' needs.