Dementia Sundowning

My dad's dementia seems worse in the afternoon to evening: sundowning.

Often, people with dementia have what is called “sundowning” where their thinking, moods and speaking get worse in the afternoon and evening.

My dad was sundowning some months ago, but it’s lessened since he has been taking a prescribed medicine.

He used to get more muddled thoughts, anger, distrust and disinterest in everything later in the day. It was better to engage with him in the mornings.

He’s likely sundowning again. He is going to bed earlier and earlier in the evening. He actually lies about doing something that he did not do (work on puzzle books and asking for more but has done nothing in the books). My sister asked him about it and that she knows he hasn’t worked on them. He wondered how she knew, and he admitted to lying. This is disappointing, as he hasn’t been a liar in his life – but the dementia is changing him. He isn’t deceptive in the mornings, so it is likely the sundowning.

The further Dad declines, the worse it will get. He’s still able to groom himself and hold a conversation, knowing who we all are, but his memory is so very bad. As the medicines lose their efficacy, in about two years from when he began taking them, he will decline faster and need more help with everyday tasks. It will progress from sundowning in evenings to all day.

More articles on our journey with Dad’s dementia and other elderly issues.