Many people with loved ones living with dementia know that the afternoon and evening can bring about confusing changes. When the sun sets and a loved one shows worrying behaviors like disorientation and aggression, it could signal sundowning.
If your family or your relative’s caregivers believe that they are experiencing this condition, take a deep breath. There are options for treatment available that can help manage sundowning behaviors, with treatment catered to your family member’s unique wants and needs.
What is Sundowner’s Syndrome?
Also called:
- Sundowning
- Late-day confusion
Sundowning is not a specific disease that healthcare providers can diagnose. Rather, it refers to a group of symptoms that present in late afternoon/early evening hours. According to Alzheimer’s Society, it usually occurs in older adults who are in the middle to later stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia, such as frontotemporal dementia or posterior cortical atrophy.
What are the Symptoms of Sundowner’s Syndrome?
Most caregivers consider the following to be common sundowning symptoms:
- Irritability
- Confusion
- Sleep problems
- Aggression
- Tiredness
- Hallucinations
Without proper treatment of symptoms, sundowning and related behaviors can progress with each stage of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.
What Causes Sundowning?
There is no single cause for sundowner’s syndrome. That said, commonly cited causes and risk factors for this condition include:
- Not getting enough sleep/low-quality sleep
- Middle-stages of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Sleep apnea
- Time of day
- Memory loss
- Low lighting
- Side effects of medication
- Changes to routine
- Age
What are the Treatments for Sundowning?
Because there is no singular cause of someone’s specific sundowning behaviors, there is no singular treatment for this condition.
Individual treatment plans can include a combination of the following:
- Melatonin
- Treating sleep issues
- Treating related dementias
- No late-day naps
- Improving lighting
- Light therapy to reset the internal body clock
- Limit daytime caffeine and alcohol consumption
- Keeping a regular schedule
Providing Top-Tier Care for Sundowning Patients at Avista Senior Living
Many people living with dementia can live alone (with modifications) in the early and mid stages of the disease. When this condition progresses, however, it could be in everyone’s best interest to make the move to senior living. This way, the one living with dementia can have all needs met by a fully trained team of professionals, and family members can reduce caregiver stress and focus on enjoying each day with their loved one.
Every community in the Avista Senior Living network is full of qualified professionals who know the signs of sundowning and how to best identify each resident’s triggers. Contact Avista Senior Living today to find a community near your family and learn more about how our team helps each resident craft a treatment plan to mitigate sundowner’s syndrome behaviors.
Disclaimers: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.