Pre-prepared sandwiches are a great snack for older people in care homes with unusual sleep patterns

My mother is cared for in a very caring Home. Many of the residents keep unusual hours, often going to bed extremely late.

My mother doesn't always sleep well and, often, the carers allow her to sleep late and have her meals at different times to other residents. As she has to be fed, it helps them as they can feed her at times when they are less busy helping other people with their food.

One lady in her Home goes to bed extremely late. One evening when I was visiting, I heard her ask for a sandwich. The carer was busy putting other people to bed, but she found the time to go to the kitchen and, a few minutes later, returned with a plate of beautifully cut sandwiches and a glass of milk.

When I commented on the speed at which she had done it, she explained that, at suppertime, they always made up a few extra plates of sandwiches which they covered with clingfilm and kept in the fridge. In that way they could offer a heathy snack to any resident who couldn't sleep and felt hungry at any time during the evening or overnight.

Jill