Have any questions about how to use the community? Check out the Help Discussion.

Closing up the house

Grandot
Grandot Member Posts: 19
Second Anniversary 10 Comments 5 Likes 5 Care Reactions
Member
in Caring For a Spouse or Partner

My DH starts “closing up the house” as he calls it around 6pm every night, while it is still light. He wants everything locked up and all the blinds down. He likes it dark inside. This is really not a problem but an irritation. I’m just curious if this is a typical response from those with Alzheimer’s.

Comments

  • Goodlife2025
    Goodlife2025 Member Posts: 100
    100 Comments 25 Insightfuls Reactions 25 Care Reactions 25 Likes
    Member

    Sundowning yes it is a very real behavior in Alz…. I even let my spouse shut it all down go to bed and then I get back up as soon as she is asleep - like right now 🤣

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 2,103
    500 Insightfuls Reactions 500 Likes 1000 Comments 500 Care Reactions
    Member

    yes. Google the term sundowning for dementia patients and you will find an explanation. It’s his brain causing him to do it.

  • Chris20cm
    Chris20cm Member Posts: 91
    100 Likes 25 Insightfuls Reactions 25 Care Reactions 10 Comments
    Member

    Yes it seems to be fairly common. DW closes the drapes, puts a clothes pin on them in the middle, and pushes furniture on the ends against the wall. I installed mini blinds on the living room and the dining room picture windows to alleviate her fear but she still thinks there are shady characters in our tiny village peeking in through the cracks. She has been doing this for eight years.

    I understand her fear in a way. If I was losing my cognitive and memory abilities, I would be scared too.

  • harshedbuzz
    harshedbuzz Member Posts: 5,656
    Eighth Anniversary 1,500 Likes 5000 Comments 1,000 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    @Grandot

    It's interesting. Sundowning is a very common behavior starting in moderate dementia. What's often suggested to caregivers is closing curtains and blinds before dark as a way to lessen the triggers for their PWD. Paranoia is common in dementia and many PWD misinterpret reflections in mirrors or windows (after dark) as other scary people.

    HB

  • Belle60
    Belle60 Member Posts: 81
    25 Likes 25 Care Reactions 10 Comments First Anniversary
    Member

    Yes this is pretty common. Closing all the blinds before it got dark used to drive me a bit crazy. I hate a dark house love the light. But I got used to it. In my kitchen I have shutters where he can close the bottom half but we can leave the upper half open for sunlight. But I have not extended those to the rest of the house. My DH also checks the doors constantly and pretty much cannot sit still or talks constantly -not really saying anything. I just tune it out.

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
Read more

Community Guidelines


Click here to review the ALZConnected Community Guidelines

Categories