6 pm confusion

[Rubina]

I haven’t posted here for some time, but I do read the threads and realise that we are in the early stages of this horrible Alzheimer’s journey. My partner is two years after diagnosis, and we are managing, not normal, but managing. After dinner is a confusing time. My partner starts to look for something, he is convinced he needs to search, and he does. Tonight it was a watch. He doesn’t wear a watch, never has done, but he searched every room looking for it. Sometimes he sees animals in objects. The fireside brush can be a bird, there is someone out in the driveway etc. Can anyone advise how to deal with this. I try not to say,no, you don’t wear a watch, or that’s a brush! He looks at me sometimes as if I confuse him, and it’s always me who lost the object! Exhausted he goes to bed around 7.30 pm, and generally sleeps well with medication( mirtazapine) it’s a help just to share this, but perhaps things are moving on. Is this a common experience?

 

[TNJJ]

I haven’t posted here for some time, but I do read the threads and realise that we are in the early stages of this horrible Alzheimer’s journey. My partner is two years after diagnosis, and we are managing, not normal, but managing. After dinner is a confusing time. My partner starts to look for something, he is convinced he needs to search, and he does. Tonight it was a watch. He doesn’t wear a watch, never has done, but he searched every room looking for it. Sometimes he sees animals in objects. The fireside brush can be a bird, there is someone out in the driveway etc. Can anyone advise how to deal with this. I try not to say,no, you don’t wear a watch, or that’s a brush! He looks at me sometimes as if I confuse him, and it’s always me who lost the object! Exhausted he goes to bed around 7.30 pm, and generally sleeps well with medication( mirtazapine) it’s a help just to share this, but perhaps things are moving on. Is this a common experience?

Hi. My dad starts getting confused from 4pm onwards. I tend to agree or say “ok”otherwise I get the blame. Dad cannot walk but if could he would be wandering. He has two drawers beside him in his chair. They tend to have everything but the kitchen sink. Last week he saw a cat in his bungalow (he doesn’t have one). So yes it is a common experience. Dad has vascular dementia. He is in what I would say is the moderate/middle stage. But everyone has different experiences. He also takes Mirtazapine 30 mg at night.

 

[Rubina]

Hi. My dad starts getting confused from 4pm onwards. I tend to agree or say “ok”otherwise I get the blame. Dad cannot walk but if could he would be wandering. He has two drawers beside him in his chair. They tend to have everything but the kitchen sink. Last week he saw a cat in his bungalow (he doesn’t have one). So yes it is a common experience. Dad has vascular dementia. He is in what I would say is the moderate/middle stage. But everyone has different experiences. He also takes Mirtazapine 30 mg at night.

 

[Rubina]

Thank you for your reply, I don’t know why, but it’s comforting. Can I ask how long your Dad has been diagnosed ? I do realise that time/ stage of diagnosis can vary considerably.

 

[TNJJ]

Thank you for your reply, I don’t know why, but it’s comforting. Can I ask how long your Dad has been diagnosed ? I do realise that time/ stage of diagnosis can vary considerably.

He was diagnosed in the early part of 2016. He is now 87?

 

[Sarasa]

Not sure if you've seen this thread @Rubina, but it might help with ideas as to how to distract your partner when he starts searching for things or gets confused about what things are.
Compassionate Communication with the Memory Impaired

 

[Grannie G]

Hello @Rubina

The following may help you understand your partners early evening behaviour.

Sundowning and dementia

Sometimes a person with dementia will behave in ways that are difficult to understand in the late afternoon or early evening. This is known as 'Sundowning'.

www.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[MartinWL]

One option might be to simply let him search. It sounds harmless enough and the physical activity might even be good exercise.

 

[Jacques]

Hi
My husband regularly decides that it is time for us to leave the house that we live in. It always happens from teatime onwards. He goes upstairs and packs a case with a selection of clothes. Sometimes he asks me to help him. It is far less stressful just to go with the flow and stay calm. Hope this helps.

 

[Sandy47]

I haven’t posted here for some time, but I do read the threads and realise that we are in the early stages of this horrible Alzheimer’s journey. My partner is two years after diagnosis, and we are managing, not normal, but managing. After dinner is a confusing time. My partner starts to look for something, he is convinced he needs to search, and he does. Tonight it was a watch. He doesn’t wear a watch, never has done, but he searched every room looking for it. Sometimes he sees animals in objects. The fireside brush can be a bird, there is someone out in the driveway etc. Can anyone advise how to deal with this. I try not to say,no, you don’t wear a watch, or that’s a brush! He looks at me sometimes as if I confuse him, and it’s always me who lost the object! Exhausted he goes to bed around 7.30 pm, and generally sleeps well with medication( mirtazapine) it’s a help just to share this, but perhaps things are moving on. Is this a common experience?

My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2017 and is 69. Since the clocks went back this year he has started becoming very restless and agitated from about 5pm onwards and sometimes it lasts the whole evening.
He wanders into all the rooms switching on lights just to try and work out where he is, which maybe similar to what your husband does when he goes searching for things. He might be trying to find something that reassures him. My husband talks to himself and/or imaginary things all the time and often asks when are we going home. I've tried distracting him with music and TV but that doesn't always work and is short lived. Sometimes just ignoring the behaviour helps him settle for a while. I wonder if acknowledging it feeds the insecurity but who knows?
Hope you find something that works for you . I think it's just a winter thing and will change again as the months progress but in the meantime know you're not alone. Take care of yourself.