If your loved one with dementia becomes more confused or agitated as the day progresses, you’re witnessing sundowning — affecting up to 66% of people with Alzheimer’s.
What Is Sundowning?
A pattern of increased confusion, agitation, and behavioral changes in late afternoon and evening hours. It’s not a disease but a collection of symptoms that worsen as daylight fades.
Common Behaviors
Confusion, pacing, agitation, anxiety, sleep difficulties, shadowing caregivers, verbal outbursts, and attempting to leave home.
Why It Happens
Circadian rhythm disruption, daily fatigue, reduced lighting creating shadows, hunger, overstimulation accumulating by evening, and some medication effects.
Strategies That Help
Maintain consistent routines. Increase late-afternoon lighting. Limit caffeine after noon. Encourage earlier physical activity. Reduce evening stimulation. Play calm music. Offer late-afternoon snacks.
How Memory Care Helps
Velora’s approach includes structured evening programming, enhanced lighting systems, trained staff recognizing early signs, secured pacing environments, and individualized care plans.
When to Seek Help
If sundowning causes safety concerns, prevents adequate sleep, or is escalating, discuss memory care with a physician.
Contact us at (209) 587-8880 to learn how our program can help.