Dementia Care in Rancho San Diego

Tips For Dealing With Sundowning

"Sundowning" is common for those with dementia. This state of agitation, anger, confusion, or anxiety starts to appear around dusk, and continues throughout the evenings. If you're handling dementia care for a family member in Rancho San Diego, you may have experienced this already.

Let's take a look at how to deal with this state. 

4 Tips For Supporting Your Loved One 

At Visiting Angels^® El Cajon, we administer care to seniors throughout the region, including those with dementia and other memory disorders. We know how tough it can be to handle the effects of sundowning. How do you help a family member who's experiencing this? 

Here are our four tips:   

• Track what happens before sundowning. If possible, keep a log of what happens prior to sundowning. This can help you identify any triggers which activate the process for your loved one. If you know these potential triggers, you can try to manage them or reduce them as much as possible. 
• Discuss recommendations with a physician. It may be useful to chat with your loved one's doctor to determine if they should take medication earlier or later in the day. A physician can help you understand any side effects which may further aggravate any sundowning, too. 
• Minimize stimuli during the evening. When someone with dementia is feeling stressed, confused, or anxious, additional stimuli can only make things worse. Make sure any caffeine or other stimulant intake is reduced earlier in the day, if possible. Keep evenings free of visits from family or friends. 
• Try to take time for yourself. It's incredibly important to take time to relax and decompress. Caregiver burnout is real, and your frustration may be evident to your loved one, contributing to sundowning. For families in Rancho San Diego, our agency offers compassionate, flexible dementia care, so you can take time away. 

Comprehensive Dementia Care in Rancho San Diego

You don't have to manage dementia care on your own. At Visiting Angels El Cajon, our professional care team can work alongside a family caregiver if preferred. Or, we can handle all care responsibilities for your loved one, so you aren't juggling it all. Whatever is needed, we're here to support families in:

• Rancho San Diego
• Jamacha
• El Cajon
• East and South San Diego County
• Dehesa
• Alpine
• Bostonia
• Lakeside
• And throughout the surrounding area

Get comprehensive dementia care that's customized to your situation. Families in Rancho San Diego can call Visiting Angels El Cajon to learn more today.