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Can wearing pyjamas help you care for people with dementia at bedtime?

Find out what nursing home night staff think about wearing scrubs that mimic nightwear
woman sits in her dressing gown on the edge of her bed

Find out what nursing home night staff think about wearing scrubs that mimic nightwear


Differentiating between day and night can become difficult for many people with dementia Picture: iStock

Half of care home staff believe wearing pyjamas on their night shifts could help people with dementia know it is bedtime, a poll suggests.

Around one in 10 staff already wear night clothes in the evening rather than their uniform or day clothes, according to the survey of care home operators, managers and staff.

The practice can help improve residents' sleep patterns, one care home manager suggested.

More than half (59%) of participants think it is a good idea for staff to wear pyjamas at night.

Many staff believe uniforms create an us-and-them environment

The survey also asked about uniforms, with almost a fifth (18%) of respondents saying they can create a us-and-them atmosphere. Fourteen per cent said they do not wear uniforms while caring for residents.

Debbie Smith, manager of Simonsfield Care Home in Runcorn, Cheshire said: 'We thought we'd try scrubs that mimic pyjamas for the night carers to help minimise sleep deprivation, pacing and disorientation for our residents living with dementia.

'The initiative met with a really good response from most residents and we've seen a drastic improvement in their sleep patterns, so the switch has been made permanent.'

Seeing staff in nightwear can cause residents distress

However, other homes that have trialled nightwear for staff believe it confused residents.

Sarah Fraser, a care assistant at Furzehatt Residential and Nursing Home in Plymouth, said: 'Residents got upset thinking they had got us out of bed to come and help them.

'One lady actually stopped calling for any kind of help because she thought she was getting us out of bed and nearly caused herself an injury trying to get out of bed on her own.'

The SurveyMonkey poll for care home review site carehome.co.uk questioned 2,611 people in September.


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