AlzheimersNotes.com
Yesterday I explained Sundowning in Word of the Week. I began thinking about Mother’s sundowning experiences. This wasn’t a big problem with her, but some crisis situations did occur in late afternoon.
I found her sundowning activities usually were connected to something she customarily did in late afternoon in her earlier life.  When I delve deeper into other patients’ sundowning, I’ve realized this often is connected with an afternoon event of former days.

*Feeding chickens – When I was growing up on the dairy farm, we also raised chickens and sold eggs.  We fed the chickens mid-morning and again in later afternoon.  After we discovered Mother …read more

AlzheimersNotes.com
SUNDOWNING
Sundowning refers to the agitation and wandering that occurs with Alzheimer’s patients in late afternoon, about the time the sun goes down. For some reason that researchers don’t completely understand, Alzheimer’s patients frequently tend to become agitated about this time of day.
Some have a greater tendency to wander in late afternoon, too.  So they have to be watched more carefully at these times for their safety.
Have you experienced sundowning with your Alzheimer’s patient?
(Here’s an abstract about sundowning from the Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 9/22/07.)
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

  With having to set our clocks back one hour to Standard Time in the US, I wondered how time changes affected Alzheimer’s patients.  In the spring we set our clocks ahead to Daylight Savings Time, so I know caregivers may feel a lack of sleep.  Do we get to sleep in that extra hour in the fall?
I didn’t see any real difference in Mother.  Her inner clock always seemed at odds with mine.  She simply got up when she awoke and wandered whether it was light or dark during the night.  I did leave a nightlight on for her because I didn’t …read more

A word that comes up when we’re discussing dementia and Alzheimer’s is “sundowning.” 
What is that? I’m asked.
In late afternoon or evening, Alzheimer’s symptoms often seem to become worse.  The person with Alzheimer’s may become more restless, confused, disagreeable, agitated, and paranoid late in the day.  Doctors don’t know exactly why it occurs and what causes it; however, it exists, more pronounced in some people than others, or more intense at one stage of Alzheimer’s than another.
Doctors wonder if the dimmer light has something to do with it. Or is it tiredness, too busy a schdeule, overstimulation and other situations?
My mom’s …read more