Drowsiness in elderly adults belonging to an institution in Santander

Introduction: Somnolence refers to the tendency to fall asleep and can be classified based on its origin and manifestations into normal, pathological, optional, excessive, objective, and subjective forms.Objective: To determine the level of somnolence among older adults residing in a care facility in Santander.Methodology: This article presents a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study of older adults residing in a care facility in Santander. Data collection included a sociodemographic questionnaire and the administration of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to assess sleepiness among older adults at the Albeiro Vargas & Ángeles Custodios facility.Results: The study included 120 institutionalized older adults in Santander, of whom 58% were female, and the average age of the participants was 77 years. Furthermore, it was found that 52% of the older adults had normal sleep patterns and 36% exhibited abnormal sleepiness, a finding of particular significance for the study.Conclusion: The study revealed that 48% of older adults exhibit some level of sleepiness, suggesting that this represents a health risk. Similarly, it was identified that obstructive sleep apnea (46%) and symptoms of depression (33%) are factors that increase the likelihood of these individuals developing excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).