Sundowning, or Sundowner’s, is an informal term for a condition that can impact seniors. It is related to increased dementia symptoms or confusion in the late afternoon and evening. These changes can be quite concerning for both the person experiencing them and their caregivers.
Understanding what this is and what can be done about it is a good first step toward helping those impacted by it to live a higher quality of life.
Symptoms associated with sundowning can include increased confusion and agitation, panic, and behavioral changes. It’s not related to a specific type of dementia. Rather, it tends to be an aggravated symptom that comes from dementia that is already present. Dementia might not be prominent or even diagnosed when sundowning symptoms start to present themselves. Sundowning does not necessarily mean that dementia is present, but it can be a strong indicator that someone is dealing with the early stages of this, too.
Depending on the type of dementia that your loved one is struggling with, symptoms tend to get worse as time goes by. For many types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, there is no cure. There are things that can help to treat the disease, however. These things can help make the quality of life that your older loved one experiences a little bit better.
What Causes Sundowning?
Researchers aren’t a hundred percent sure what causes sundowning, but they do have some theories. Possible causes include changes in the brain, including melatonin and neurotransmitter levels, changes or disruptions to the body’s natural circadian rhythm, sleeping disorders, medications interacting with other health issues, and the body’s ability to deal with pain. There’s a lot more research into this aspect of dementia needed to really understand it.
With that said, there are a few things that can be done to help treat sundowning.
What Helps?
First and foremost, if you or someone you love is struggling with the effects of sundowning, talk with a medical professional. There may be treatments or therapies that can target the root source of the issue and help to alleviate this symptom.
There are also things that you can do on your own that might prove to be beneficial. Some anecdotal evidence indicates that light sources can help to stave off or lessen the impact that sundowning can have on an individual. This is not a cure and it will not work in every single instance. However, artificial light of the sort created by a sun lamp might have a positive impact when it comes to decreasing the confusion and panic that can come with sundowning.
If you have more questions related to sundowning or dementia in general, please speak with your doctor as soon as possible.
Additionally, if there are any questions about how professional level senior care can help with sundowning, please feel free to get in touch with us. Our care professionals would be happy to talk, answer questions about care or senior living in general, and go over your unique set of needs and circumstances with you.
Caring for a loved one with dementia is not easy. If you’d like to learn more about where senior care fits in to your life, give us a call today.
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