sundowning- is there no medication that works to help with sleep

[jennifer]

This Sundowning is a vicious cycle.  My dad has been in the hospital for 28 days, (icu for the first 17 of those).  He was in great shape (78 years old), had pacemaker, on kumoden, and blood pressure meds, but great eater too.  He was hit by a car, while walking his dog (minor fractured ribs, slighlty punctured lung) but then started some alcohol withdrawal and tried different meds to help thru that.  He was basically out for the first 17 days and then started coming around.  2 days ago, he was great...talking, remembering things, knew where he was.  Now it's different.  He's in and out of reality during the day.  At night he has been fairly consistently sundowning.  Usually there is some paranoa and he has been restrained.  It's not going away.  Has anyone found a mediation that works at night to lessen the agitation and allow the sundowner to sleep?

[jabrown]

My 80 year old mother has middle stage alzheimers.  She has a very difficult time with sundowning as well.  Her neurologist prescribed Clonazepam but we can only give her about 1/4 of the pill twice a day or she will stumble and fall.  She walks with a cane for support but will not use it in the house, only when we insist.  She lives alone but in the past month, has not stayed alone by herself at nite.  She also insists that children are in the house asleep in another room and wants to go check on them.  Particularly, she is obsessed with one of her great-grandsons and constantly wants to know where he is and why he can't spend the night with her, etc.  It really is frustrating at times to constantly let her know that he is home with him mom and sister and he has to go to school so he does not spend the night with anyone through the week.  Of course, that goes in one ear and out the other.  She will even get angry because sometimes I believe she thinks he is her child and she should have him at all times.  It is very draining emotionally, to deal with her for long periods of time but we know she cannot help how she is bahaving and we just find ways to cope.  Other suggestions would be appreciated.

[Lori]

I haven't gotten to the neurologist yet, but mom's dr. has prescribed Tramadol 50 mg and Trazadone 50 mg. It has taken a year to clearly see the results. Less agitation and more naps. It is not prescribed as a mood elevator- it just can work that way. I feel it helps.   This fall, as soon as the days shortened in September, she started to get a bit more edgy and irritable. And of course she can be completely disorientated after waking from some naps. She will make coffee and eat breakfast again without consulting the clocks.

[Linda]

My 86 yr old Mother-in-law has been in and out of hospital to Nursing home. She showed some systoms of Sundowners in the Nursing home and hospital, they have prescribed Risperdone,it really helps her sleep, and not much confusion during the day. I have seen a change in her behavior since they started giving this to her in the  nursing home. She has been back at home for awhile, and it appears that this medicine does help her.

[anne]

yhsnkds for this info. we recently put my mom in assisted living. one month ago. she is 87. alwsys been independant until a year ago.problems with short term memory.
well today at 1 am they called and said come get her she is beating up residents. she was opening doors, and thinking someone was hurting her, so awful. sundowners for sure. i will find out about the med.'thank you

[sr]

my sis has a friend who's mom is on Lexapro and Aricept and says these have helped tremendously.