New project aims to reduce sleep problems in people with dementia
The "SOVA"-project will try to reduce sleep problems using non-farmacological methods. Photo: Adobe Stock
A new research project at Uppsala University will adapt and test an evidence-based intervention to reduce sleep problems among people living with dementia, while supporting their informal carers. The project, ‘SOVA,’ is partly funded by the Kamprad Family Foundation and will begin this autumn.
Sleep problems are common in people with dementia and affect both those living with the condition and their significant others (partners, family, friends etc.) providing care at home. Sophie Gaber, Docent and Associate Senior Lecturer at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, and part of the research programme U-CARE, is now launching a project that will explore non-pharmacological methods to reduce sleep problems.
“It is truly gratifying to have received this grant from the Kamprad Family Foundation, both for me, my co-researchers, and our non-academic partners. At the same time, we are also building collaborations with health and social care services and community-based organisations who have shown strong interest, so you feel that you are carrying their hopes on your shoulders as well,” she says.
Sophie Gaber, Docent and Associate Senior Lecturer, leads the "SOVA"-project. Photo: Private
A British intervention in a Swedish context
The ‘SOVA’ project (Sleep optimisation intervention for people living with dementia and their family carers) is based on the ‘DREAMS-START’ intervention, which was previously developed and shown to be effective in the United Kingdom, and is now being adapted to a Swedish context. It is developed in collaboration with people living with dementia, family carers, healthcare professionals, and relevant organisations.
“Sleep problems are common in the general population, but even more so in dementia, where 25 to 40 per cent are affected. This often leads to reduced quality of life and lower participation in daytime activities, for the informal carers providing support at home as well,” says Sophie Gaber.
Non-pharmacological interventions for better sleep
Sleep problems in dementia affect not only the person living with the condition, but also informal carers, who often experience disrupted sleep and an increased caregiving burden. This can in turn increase the risk that the person with dementia and their carer will require more extensive support or move into a nursing home. The project, therefore, focuses on a psychosocial intervention, intended to reduce sleep problems without the use of medication.
“We aim to enhance sleep routines, daily activities, and other aspects of everyday life rather than relying on pharmacological treatment. After a dementia diagnosis, information and support are often insufficient, and awareness of these issues is frequently low,” says Sophie Gaber.
The intervention consists of a series of sessions in which participants receive education about the importance of sleep, support for establishing routines and planning daily activities, as well as practical tools related to light exposure, biological sleep cues, relaxation strategies and carer support. The sessions are co-designed in close collaboration with target groups to ensure that they work in the Swedish day-to-day care.
“The aim is to adapt the intervention to Swedish conditions and create long-term improvements in quality of life for both people living with dementia and their informal carers. There is currently no similar non-pharmacological intervention available in Sweden,” says Sophie Gaber.
The project will start in October and run for three years, and is partly funded with SEK 5.5 million from the Kamprad Family Foundation. The ambition is to contribute to better sleep, improved quality of life and a more sustainable, person-centred dementia care system in Sweden.
Robin Widing
Partners and collaborators
The SOVA project is being led by Sophie Gaber and Uppsala University, with a team also including Professor Penny Rapaport of University College London, who was one of the original developers of the British intervention. Other collaborators include the CIRCLE research group and U-CARE, as well as Christian Benedict, sleep expert and professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences. Collaborators are also Anna Brorsson, Associate professor from the occupational therapy group at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, and Ingrid Hellström, Professor, the Department of Health Care Sciences, Marie Cederschiölds University.