My elderly parent won't sleep at night. What do I do?

Has your parent been diagnosed with Alzheimer's? This is common with the disease. Either way, it's time for an appointment with the doctor. He or she may be able to help with advice and/or medication changes.
Good luck,
Carol

This is really common among seniors. They are not active enough during the day to be tired at night - or often they nap during the day, then find it hard to sleep.
I am not a big fan of sedatives - they are addictive and can have side effects such as hallucinations.
For my Mom, I try to keep her active during the day and ask her to try and avoid naps. At night she drinks warm milk or hot chocolate. If your parent can have this, a small glass of red wine works well too (ask his/her doctor). I asked Mom to turn off the TV and play soft music until she goes to sleep. Some radios come with timers that turn off after so many hours. Reading something uplifting works too. If your parent is active, have them exercise or do as much as they can to tire themselves out before bedtime.
It is sad that going to sleep has to be such a chore as we age.

Thank you for answering me. My mom can not be active at this point. I have her under hospice care. The medical is whats needed. As long as she is able to stay with me in my home I am thankful. Thanks again, Lynne