My husband of almost 58 years has had diagnosed Alzheimer’s for about 4 years but began many years before. My family and friends were in denial for most of that time. Up until just before Christmas we led a relatively busy life but he had a water infection and had to go into hospital for two weeks. This was the first time he had aver been in hospital and indeed apart from the Alzheimer’s he has never been ill. He started to be difficult early evenings and saying he couldn’t sleep keeping me awake. I now have medication to help with the sleeping. It is what I am told is ‘sundowning’ that is troubling me now. He keeps saying he wants to go for a walk and is quite adamant that he must. He is a big man and although not violent his anger does concern me. How do people manage behaviour such as this?
Sundowning
- Thread starter Merinda
- Start date
I am so sorry that you are having such a difficult time. I have had a similar experience, the writing on the wall for a year or two, a very fit man but it was collapse and a hospital admission that triggered the full onset of the disease this time last year. We have been happily married nearly 54 years and this past year has been a great shock with rapid deterioration. He has ‘sundowning’ episodes starting about 4-5pm. It is very difficult to deal with and it is very disturbing for the carer and I can’t give you any quick fix. I try to distract him as best I can but he is so restless and compulsively checks doors and windows, checking his clock, up and down the stairs going to the bathroom, going to bed and getting up again. It is very wearing and I do find it very distressing. I don’t have the going out late issue but he does want to go out for a walk in the early evening, a pretext for going to the pub where he wants to drink, which causes all sorts of trouble. I don’t let him go out after dark and he will accept that it is for his safety and to stop me worrying. I try to say that it is for my benefit but he is not aggressive or angry and I wouldn’t be able to cope with that.
Hello @Merinda, these behaviours are difficult to manage but you may get some tips from the Society Factsheet that can be reached with this link. Just click the second line
Changes in behaviour (525)
PDF printable version
If violence does ever enter the arena you should not tolerate that. Keep yourself safe and involve the police if necessary. This may sound harsh but it creates a paper trail that may be useful when future care needs are being assessed. There is a Factsheet about that too and here's a link to it
Aggressive behaviour (509)
PDF printable version
Changes in behaviour (525)
PDF printable version
If violence does ever enter the arena you should not tolerate that. Keep yourself safe and involve the police if necessary. This may sound harsh but it creates a paper trail that may be useful when future care needs are being assessed. There is a Factsheet about that too and here's a link to it
Aggressive behaviour (509)
PDF printable version
Hi Merinda this is so very familiar,my OH is just the same ,up and down stairs in and out of bed ,we've got to go out every morning 7 day a week and he pesters to go walking on an evening he also walks round the house ,I try to distract him but it doesn't work .like you it's worrying me it's also stressing me out there's no reasoning with him at all ,I'm so sorry I can't say anything that may help you ,but I really really do understand what your saying,
My thought are with you Take Care .xx
Thank you to everyone who replied. I also have tried to distract him. I have taken to leaving the dishes until he starts to play up and then say ‘well we’d better sort the kitchen out. This has done the trick both nights. Is there any medication that can help?
Hi again Merinda ,only last week I took my OH to see his doctor and yes he did give him something too help ,but it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference,we've got another appointment soon , if I don't see much of a change I think maybe he'll need something different or an higher dosage ,here's hoping we can get things sorted ,I hope you can as well ,try your GP he just might be able to prescribe something that will help I hope so ,I understand how your feeling ,good luck with it Take Care .xx
