What is sundowning?
Sundowning is when a person with dementia becomes more restless, confused or upset in the late afternoon or early evening. It often starts as daylight fades.
Simple routines can help ease the evening:
– Keep the same daily schedule for meals, bathing and bedtime.
– Get some sunlight each day, outdoors or by a window.
– Plan some activity during the day, but not too much.
– Skip coffee, cola and alcohol late in the day.
– Limit long naps in the afternoon.
Being overtired, noise or too many people can make it worse. So can pain or some medicines. If the behavior gets worse, talk with your parent’s doctor to check for a physical cause. For more support, visit our Memory & Cognitive Changes topic.
Sources
This answer is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Rules can vary by state.
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