What is Sundowning?
By Glen Smith, Ph.D
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From mayoclinic.com
October 13, 2010
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I often wondered what "sundowning" actually meant. Dr. Glen Smith sums it up very concisely and offers some suggestions on how to reduce the severity of this common symptom of dementia. The term "sundowning" refers to a state of confusion at the end of the day and into the night. Sundowning isn't a disease, but a symptom that often occurs in people with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Comments (2 comments)
Add your commentThose are great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
As the article points out watching a person leave can cause an anxiety reaction. One solution for the change of shift at assisted living places is to have the residents involved with an activity in another area so the leaving is not observed. I used a similar approach with my Mother-in-Law at her home. Before ny Father-in-Law would leave she and I would be busy with one of her favorite activities. He would then leave the room just as though he was going to another part of the house, leaving her much calmer.
Trying to assure someone that this unfamilar place is there home can be frustrting, to say the least. My Mother-in-Law remembered a home she had lived in over 40 years earlier as home. One solution that worked with her was to explain we were on a trip and staying at a motel. She remembered gong on several trips to visit family members. These memories were included in why we were at this strange place.