A Place for Mom's Family

Sundowner's is a term used to describe the anxiety and tension a senior may feel about being away from home when 'the sun goes down'.  It is very common yet may not always be obvious.  Does anyone have expereince with this or suggestions of how to manage it?

Good morning. Yes, I have experienced this with my mother. She was even depending on OTC sleep aids at 6 PM, especially since the time change and the daylight hours were getting shorter, so now I have weaned her of this "habit" and encourage her to stay up with me until at least 8:30-9:00 PM by watching television with her. This is working out for me.  

There is a theory that people with dementia/Alzheimer's expend so much energy getting through the day that they are just exhausted by late afternoon/nightfall.  Many specialists think that this contributes to the effects of Sundowner's.  There has been some research that shows limiting stimulating activities as much as possible to the morning hours and also encouraging your loved one to take naps through out the day, helps with the effects of Sundowner's.  Hope this helps!