Common Causes of Sundowning in Dementia Patients
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If you are caring for an elderly loved one who has dementia, a term that you might have come to know is sundowning. This term is specifically defined as a condition that affects some patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A memory care provider can provide the guidance that both you and your loved one need.
Sundowning occurs when a person with dementia struggles and becomes confused about the time the sun goes down each evening, and it can last throughout all of the nighttime hours. While not a condition or disease in and of itself, it is a term used to describe a variety of behaviors that some dementia patients develop as the disease progresses.
Sundowning Symptoms
These symptoms may come and go throughout the hours of the evening as well as throughout the week. Your loved one might be fine one night and then struggle the next.
Common sundowning symptoms include:
Restlessness. Your loved one might struggle to go to bed or to stay in bed. You might see him pacing around the home or trying to leave the home.
Disorientation. Your loved one might become more disoriented at night. He might have trouble finding a specific room in the home or finding the cupboard that has the glassware in it.
Agitation and/or Irritability. Your loved one might be more difficult to reason with. He might argue with just about everything and show his irritation in his actions, his words, or his demeanor. You might feel like you have to walk on eggshells to keep him calm during the evening.
Confusion. It can become easier to get confused for a dementia patient struggling with sundowning syndrome. Things he could easily do during the day may become too difficult at night.
Sundowning Causes
There’s no exact cause for sundowning, and it’s not possible to predict which dementia patients will develop it and when. But for those who have sundowning, these elements often exacerbate the symptoms.
- Spending too much time in an unfamiliar environment
- Being overly tired
- Unmet physical needs such as hunger, pain, or thirst
- Too much time spent indoors and away from any sunlight or an overcast day
- An overstimulated day that prevents your loved one from unwinding properly, especially if he has a bedtime ritual that cannot be performed
Protecting Your Loved One From Sundowning
There are two main ways you can protect your loved one if he struggles with sundowning. The first is to take preventative action to reduce the likelihood of sundowning occurring, and the second is to be ready for sundowning symptoms and have the resources, like memory care services, needed to keep your loved one safe when it happens.
Memory Care Simpsonville, SC – Common Causes of Sundowning in Dementia Patients
Preventative Steps to Reducing Sundowning Symptoms
- Keep a consistent routine both during the day and night
- Get your loved one in the sun when possible during the day
- Avoid stimulating situations in the evening
- Limit daytime napping
- Reduce caffeine consumption
- Make sure all of their physical needs are met.
Keeping a Loved One Who Experiences Sundowning Safe
If your loved one has sundowning regularly, having memory care providers can help ensure he has someone ready to assist when he needs it, no matter what time of the night it is. A memory care professional can take action to redirect your loved one and keep him safe. Memory care will support your loved one while treating him with the respect and care he deserves.
