Activities directors and other healthcare professionals here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be
Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two
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If you have a loved one or client with Alzheimer's whose confusion appears to increase during the latter part of the afternoon, you're not alone. This is a symptom which many Alzheimer's patients will go through. It is called, "Sundown Syndrome"—also known as "Sundowning." This descriptive term describes the onset of heavier confusion and intensified agitation. Usually, this begins anywhere from late afternoon to dusk. But in reality, it could happen anytime throughout the day.
Around 4:45 p.m.—everyone in my house got a new name, possibly two. My father, who didn't seem to need a clock for this, went through this change daily toward the end of the moderate stage of Alzheimer's disease.
Experts believe one of the contributing factors is a shift in their biological clock, caused from the change of daylight to dark. Keeping the house well lit during these hours will help immensely.
Physical and mental exhaustion is one of the biggest culprits. An Alzheimer's patients' days consists of coping with who's who, "where am I," and living in the past. This would mentally drain anyone.
Once again, routine is the most helpful thing for memory-impaired loved ones. Evening hours usually become the busiest in a household; people coming and going, cooking supper, phone calls and the list goes on. If the traffic in your home is high volume, try placing them in a quieter
For a caregiver, one of your best stands for defense will be to be prepared beforehand.
As the hours of daylight change with the seasons, always have you house lights turned on an hour before day's end, never allowing shadows to invade your home. Also, when you sense that a heavy bout of confusion is advancing, try to keep them preoccupied with some kind of activity. Place a photo album in their lap, anything that will redirect their jumbled thoughts. This may call for a little trial and error before you find something that is truly effective.
There were days when I swore my father's Sundowners would last morning 'til midnight. I also recall noticing similar reactions on dispiriting rainy days. Once anxiety builds, it's difficult to turn it around. Keep evenings as calm, routine and simple as possible. You just have to continue doing the best that you can.
Around 4:45 p.m.—everyone in my house got a new name, possibly two. My father, who didn't seem to need a clock for this, went through this change daily toward the end of the moderate stage of Alzheimer's disease.
Experts believe one of the contributing factors is a shift in their biological clock, caused from the change of daylight to dark. Keeping the house well lit during these hours will help immensely.
Physical and mental exhaustion is one of the biggest culprits. An Alzheimer's patients' days consists of coping with who's who, "where am I," and living in the past. This would mentally drain anyone.
Once again, routine is the most helpful thing for memory-impaired loved ones. Evening hours usually become the busiest in a household; people coming and going, cooking supper, phone calls and the list goes on. If the traffic in your home is high volume, try placing them in a quieter
For a caregiver, one of your best stands for defense will be to be prepared beforehand.
As the hours of daylight change with the seasons, always have you house lights turned on an hour before day's end, never allowing shadows to invade your home. Also, when you sense that a heavy bout of confusion is advancing, try to keep them preoccupied with some kind of activity. Place a photo album in their lap, anything that will redirect their jumbled thoughts. This may call for a little trial and error before you find something that is truly effective.
There were days when I swore my father's Sundowners would last morning 'til midnight. I also recall noticing similar reactions on dispiriting rainy days. Once anxiety builds, it's difficult to turn it around. Keep evenings as calm, routine and simple as possible. You just have to continue doing the best that you can.
Gary Joseph LeBlanc was the primary caregiver of his father for a decade after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and has published a new expanded edition of his book, "Staying Afloat in a Sea of Forgetfulness", d
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by Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.