Well, she didn’t get up last night thank God!
I’ve been doing some research on the Internet and apparently this symptom is known as ‘Sundowners’. There doesn’t seem to be an easy answer apart from trying to stop mum sleeping so much during the day. Exercise and keeping her occupied during the day are also suggested but the selfish part of me thinks – so I have to devote even more of my time to mum at the expense of my own life.
This afternoon I suggested that she perhaps writes some letter or tidies the drawers in her bedroom but she tells me she’d rather watch Jeremy Kyle. We used to play scrabble but my sister and I agreed we’d have to give that up as she takes forever to find a word, then she usually places it randomly in the middle of the board, unconnected to any other word and often spelt backwards. Perhaps I am being too impatient? The thing is I think she does enjoy it. I may try it again sometime soon.
Kristen Hardin
February 29, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Oh, Sun-downers. My Dad has that and it’s soooo frustrating.
He used to just get anxious and angry and try to escape in the afternoon, but then it turned into him wandering the halls at night.
Then he sleeps half the day away. We have him on an anti-anxiety medication. (if you read more of my blog, the home he is at likes to use medication as a solution every time, and I’m not sure that is always the answer) BUT, he has been on anti-anxiety for a while and it is on an “as needed” basis, so we’re okay with that. We also now have him on a sleep aid like Ambien. I think maybe that has helped.