What is sleep apnea and why is it concerning for seniors?

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops or becomes too shallow during sleep, lowering oxygen levels and waking the person. It is common and concerning in seniors because it can worsen daytime fatigue, mood and cognition, and increase risks for hypertension, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

What types of sleep apnea affect seniors?

The main types are obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), caused by relaxed throat muscles blocking the airway; central sleep apnea (CSA), when the brain doesn’t send proper breathing signals; and treatment-emergent CSA, which can appear during OSA therapy.

What are common symptoms of OSA in seniors?

Common symptoms include morning tiredness and daytime fatigue, headaches, dry mouth, daytime dozing, trouble focusing, snoring, leg swelling, and choking or gasping during sleep.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

Start with a primary care provider for history, symptom review, and a physical exam. Diagnosis typically involves a sleep study (polysomnography in a lab with brain-wave monitoring) or a home sleep test without brain-wave data.

What are the main treatments for sleep apnea?

Treatments include lifestyle changes (quit smoking, reduce alcohol, avoid sleeping pills, side sleeping, weight loss, exercise), CPAP therapy, oral appliances (mouthguards), surgeries for anatomical issues, and upper airway stimulation therapy.

How can caregivers support a senior with sleep apnea day-to-day?

Caregivers can help manage fatigue and headaches, assist with bathing and morning routines, keep water by the bedside for dry mouth, reduce safety risks when sleepy (e.g., avoid cooking equipment), help with errands and bills, encourage side sleeping and lifestyle changes, and provide reassurance and companionship.

What should families know about CPAP machines?

CPAP is the standard therapy that keeps airways open with a nighttime mask. Newer machines are quieter and more comfortable, and consistent nightly use can improve sleep quality and cognition and reduce headaches. Set-up support and regular cleaning are important—follow your provider’s instructions.

How can Village Caregiving help a loved one with sleep apnea?

Village Caregiving can provide customized in-home support—companionship, help with meals, laundry, errands, appointment support, and assistance with daily routines—to ease symptoms like fatigue and promote adherence to treatment and lifestyle changes across 65 locations in 20+ states.

Supporting Seniors With Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea, a condition where a person repeatedly stops breathing while sleeping at night, can be especially worrying for seniors. During episodes of sleep apnea, airways can completely close or narrow to the point where oxygen levels drop too low, waking your loved one up. This common sleep disorder is more prevalent in people aged 65 and over.

Thankfully, there are many ways to support seniors with sleep apnea, from managing their symptoms to helping them get a diagnosis and treatment. You can also reach out to a caregiving service to give your loved one extra help in their home so they can feel more comfortable while also giving you peace of mind.

Sleep Apnea Overview: How to Support Seniors

There are three main types of sleep apnea. The most common is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which occurs when throat muscles relax and block the airways. Central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain doesn’t transmit the correct signals to help your loved one breathe. As part of the treatment for OSA, patients can develop a form of CSA called treatment-emergent central sleep apnea.

An estimated 80.6 million people in the U.S. had OSA in 2024. While anyone can experience sleep apnea at any age, our guide will focus on OSA in elderly patients. OSA tends to affect men more than women.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Despite how common sleep apnea is, it often goes undiagnosed. Here’s how to manage some of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea while you wait for a proper diagnosis:

Exhaustion and fatigue: Your family member may feel tired or unrested in the mornings and experience excessive fatigue throughout the day. Giving them extra support with hygiene care or bathing could help them start the day on the right foot.
Headaches: Treat headaches associated with sleep apnea by getting a proper diagnosis, as treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can help resolve them. In the meantime, you could ask your doctor about over-the-counter painkillers to treat the immediate headache.
Dry mouth: Keep a carafe of water by your loved one’s bedside so they can refresh themselves without getting up.
Falling asleep during the day: If your senior relative feels particularly exhausted, ensure they avoid using any kitchen or garden equipment. To ease their load, you can offer to cook them some meals instead. You can also offer to drive them or run their errands.
Difficulty focusing: Your elderly relative may benefit from extra care to help them with tasks that require more concentration, for example, paying bills.
Snoring: Getting proper treatment can address snoring, but lifestyle changes such as losing weight can also help. Short-term ways to help ease snoring include using nose strips and earplugs for any family members living with your loved one.
Leg swelling: Helping your relative change sleeping position could relieve swelling. You could also try compression stockings.
Choking or gasping when sleeping: Sleeping on your side may help. You can buy special pillows or wedges to keep your loved one in the correct position.

You may not experience all of these symptoms and sleep apnea can be mild or severe. If you spot any of the above, reach out to a healthcare professional for an official diagnosis. There are ways to support your loved ones in the meantime, but it is best to treat the underlying cause should they have OSA.

Impact of Sleep Apnea on Seniors

Some of the main impacts of sleep apnea on seniors include:

Type 2 diabetes
Depression and anxiety
Cognitive function
Heart disease
Hypertension
Impacts on other family members

Getting diagnosed and receiving the right sleep apnea therapy means your loved one can find comfort sooner and avoid these impacts.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea

Reach out to your primary care provider if you think your loved one may be suffering from sleep apnea. Your provider will likely ask questions about your relative’s medical history, their symptoms and perform a physical examination. For official diagnosis and treatment, they will likely refer you to a sleep specialist.

The next step involves using sensors to study your elderly relative as they sleep. Your health provider can perform a sleep study or a polysomnogram at a hospital or sleep lab, which includes monitoring brain waves. Or it can be done from the comfort of your relative’s home, but without any brain wave data, as this requires more sophisticated equipment.

Treatment options for sleep apnea include:

Lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking
Using a CPAP device
Using a mouthguard or similar oral device to help keep your airways open
Surgeries can be beneficial for more physical issues
Upper airway stimulation therapy

Lifestyle Changes

Sometimes the most effective way to manage sleep apnea is by making lifestyle changes. There are many ways you can support your relative with sleep apnea by:

Side sleeping
Quitting smoking
Reducing alcohol intake, especially before bed
Stopping the use of sleeping pills
Losing weight
Increasing exercise

Understanding the CPAP Machine

The standard treatment for sleep apnea is the CPAP machine, which requires your loved one to wear a mask at night to keep their airways open. The newer machines are quieter, more comfortable and help to reduce and even eliminate many of the common symptoms of sleep apnea. Your loved one may need help getting their machine set up to maximize comfort while they get used to CPAP. You should ensure they use it every night to see the improved effects on sleep quality and cognitive function. A CPAP machine needs regular cleaning. Ask your healthcare provider for the specific instructions on how to do this properly.

The Role of Caregivers in Sleep Apnea

Family caregivers are crucial in comforting your loved one with sleep apnea. This includes managing the everyday symptoms of sleep apnea, such as fatigue or headaches, as well as supporting them throughout the diagnosis and treatment process.

The effects of some sleep apnea therapies are not immediate, which means your family member may still need that extra special care to help them feel better in the short term. Taking over some household duties can also ease the burden on your elderly relative to help manage any fatigue associated with sleep apnea.

Some of the symptoms and impacts of sleep apnea may worry your relative. Spending time with a family caregiver gives your loved one somebody to talk to and seek reassurance.

Family caregivers can also help seniors make beneficial lifestyle changes more easily. Losing weight can be beneficial for some sleep apnea sufferers, and this can be easier to sustain when your loved one gets help with making healthier meals, for example.

How Village Caregiving Can Help Your Loved One Manage Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can affect your loved one in many ways, and its severity and symptoms may vary. Finding the right level of support for your elderly family member with sleep apnea can help them manage daily activities and find comfort when they need it most. Reaching out to a professional caregiving service means you can create a customized, round-the-clock solution to fit your relative’s needs. Whether your elderly relative needs companionship or somebody to do their laundry or cooking, a visiting caregiving service can make everyday life more relaxed and help them keep up with any appointments.

At Village Caregiving, we can make your loved one feel comfortable at home as they manage their sleep apnea. With 65 locations in over 20 U.S. states, we can provide a bespoke care plan to help give you and your family peace of mind. Since 2013, we have provided reliable care to our clients while maintaining affordability and quality. Find your nearest location or contact us today.

Supporting Seniors With Sleep Apnea