Is this sun downing?

Ed1937

I always thought sun downing was when the PWD becomes confused, agitated, aggressive, etc. later in the afternoon. But for the last week or so every day around 3 or 4 PM she wants to know if I'm ready to go somewhere. Typically she'll look at me and say "Are you ready to go?". She can't tell me where, but she thinks we should be going somewhere. But there are no other signs like I mentioned above. What do you think? Kind of a weird behavior.

JDancer

Sounds like confusion, possible agitation and/or anxiety. I'd call it Sundowning.

Jeff86

I too think it could be a variation on sundowning.  

My DW is most prone to get restless, itching to do something or go somewhere, in mid-afternoon.  Similarly, she has no idea of where we should be going or what we should be doing. A ride in the car, locally, usually works well.  

ImMaggieMae

Your post couldn’t have come at a better time. My DH has been driving me crazy asking to go up to bed at around 5:00 pm and has been asking over and over again every 2 or 3 minutes. No explanation about it being too early seems to satisfy him. I don’t believe he’s tired. Maybe this is what sundowning is in his case. This is a new behavior. 6 months ago he was maybe a stage 2 or and could carry on what seemed like a normal conversation. He had MCI according to his GP a d was taking Aricept, but everything seemed normal.

White Crane

Ed, I’m glad you posted this. My husband sometimes does the same thing. Mid afternoon he’ll ask if I want to go someplace or do something. He doesn’t know where he wants to go or what he wants to do but he seems restless. By suppertime he says he’s very tired. A couple of nights ago, while we were watching a movie, he asked me if it was morning or night.  I think this is sundowning.

Smitty46

My Wife is ready to go somewhere in the afternoons.  Usually she starts to get antsy about 1PM.  As with others who responded, it seems that a car ride is good.  Going to the grocery store or some other place works too.  As a result I take her for walks in City Parks.  Travel to and from plus an hour of walking seems to have a good effect.  I try to have visits with our friends and family about three times a week. 

It is painful to see a steady decline, knowing that it will not get better.  I can see her personality starting to change.  My biggest problem right now is trying to keep her engaged with our friends.  After about an hour she becomes anxious and says it is time to go or she wants to go home. 

It seems that the biggest problem is my trying to realize that reasoning, cajoling and emotional pleas have no effect. 

The benefit of her slow progression is that I am able to reconcile her changes and adjust my thinking to understand that she can no longer adjust.  I have to adjust and be patient; anything else is counter-productive. 

My greatest fear is when she tries to leave the house when she becomes angry or anxious.  Our neighbors are very understanding and welcome her into their home.  Usually I can hear her opening the door and going out.  Sometimes I don't. 

I have learned that trying to tell her that she has AD is a losing proposition.  She denies it.  She says she is fine.  But she becomes frustrated because she is no longer able to do the things she loved. I don't really know what stage she is in.  Our doctor tells me she is in the advanced middle stage.  

I know I am rambling, but if these thoughts can engender empathy and understanding then we can compare strategies for coping. 

Glenn

Pat6177

Ed,  didn’t your wife used to work the 3-11 shift? Do you think on some level, she thinks it’s time to go to work? Just a thought.

Ed1937

Pat, you're right. She did work the 3 - 11 shift. What an interesting thought! Thank you.

Ed1937

Glenn, welcome to the forum. Sorry you need to be here. This is not really new for us, it's just that it's now every day. I have tried taking her for a ride, and it might work one time, but not another. It sounds like you have a pretty good handle about this disease. Keep posting.

billS

Ed my wife was also wanting to go somewhere each afternoon. Her behavior did seem to fit the sundowning pattern, where she would become more restless and disoriented anytime after lunch. I would redirect her by saying we needed to stay home so I could do her eye drops at 5:30 and then we (I) could cook dinner. Also turning on America's Test Kitchen cooking show seemed to distract her and she would forget about needing to go wherever.

60 falcon

My wife's anxiety, confusion, agitation does increase beginning in the early afternoon.  Her med for anxiety has controlled this to a reasonable level for the most part. But at her daycare her anxiety and agitation is progressing to kind of mild aggression.  I don't notice the aggression at home.  The daycare director has brought it to my attention a few times and she says it's part of sun downing. I can't afford to lose the little respite I get when she's at daycare if she were kicked out, so I'm waiting for an appointment with a psychiatrist to maybe change or adjust her meds.  My wife also says similar things about wanting to go somewhere, but she can't tell me where.  Going for a ride does seem to help.

caberr

Ed, I think this could be sundowning.  She could thinking it's time to go to work. 

Just the past 3 weeks my husband has been getting more confused in the afternoon.  The dr said it was sundowning. 

When I can't get him to settle down I turn on music.  Works well