Sundowner's Syndrome

by Brenda Dapkus

It's 5:00 p.m., and all of a sudden your calm, serene mother is now very agitated, angry, and maybe even combative. Nothing you do seems to help, and quite frankly, you're nervous and maybe even frightened. It seems as if there is nothing you can do. Take heart; you're not alone, and there is help.

What your loved one with Alzheimer's is experiencing is called Sundowners. It is very common for those with Alzheimer's disease to become increasingly agitated as daylight fades away into night. Why the agitation? You may have read that bright lighting is the answer, and it is a factor -- but it's not the root of the behavior. You can find the root of the behavior in the past. Read on for tried and true solutions.....

Let's use you as an example. Say you have a child in school, and everyday, you pick her up from school at 3:30 p.m. You've been picking her up since kindergarten, and now she is in the eighth grade. So all in all, you've picked her up for the better part of nine years. How would you feel, if 3:30 arrived, and you knew you had something important to do, but you couldn't remember what it was? What if you felt a strong urge to do something, and the later it got the more agitated you became? And that's just after a nine-year habit. Now, let's think about your mom.

For years and years, your mom took care of the house and your dad went to work. Come sundown, it was time to begin preparation for dinner. Taking care of husband and children was her job. It was who she was. Now, all these years later, she has Alzheimer's disease, and with each passing day, more and more of her memory is wiped away. Now sundown comes, and she knows she should be doing something, but what is it? She doesn't remember, and she's anxious. Who wouldn't be? That's why it's called Sundowners Syndrome. But what can you do about it? How can you help?

What about Dad? If Mom began preparing for dinner in the late afternoon, then Dad was getting ready to come home from work. Here is a tried and true solution: When your Dad begins getting upset, take him out the back door, and while you're walking around the house talk about what he did at work......then walk in through the front door. He has effectively left work and arrived home. Maybe it won't work for everyone, but give it a try. If it is safe to do so, and your dad was handy about the house, mix up some bolts and screws and ask him if he will separate them for you. Was Mom a secretary? Find an old-fashioned typewriter and set it where she can see it. The more you know about the person you're caring for, the more options you have.

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Before darkness approaches, make sure the house is well lit. Lamps are not good sources of light...they cast shadows, which can be perceived as a stranger in the house. Use bright, overhead lighting. The brightness inside, sometimes reduces the feeling of time passing.

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Buy mini blinds that are a bright color, like yellow or a color similar to daylight. This also gives the illusion of daylight.

But most importantly, think of what your loved one used to do at the time she begins to get anxious. Was it cooking? Take her into the kitchen and give her something to do. Was it laundry? Set a basket of towels next to her....she will fold them and feel productive, possibly relieving the anxiety. You won't know if you don't try!

Understanding what is happening to your loved one, is the beginning of the solution. The rest is detective work! Remember: your reality is no longer their reality. Go where they are; that's where you'll find the root of their anxiety.