Alzheimer's Blogging:

I remember when the late afternoon would roll around and my father in law would turn into someone else. He would be agitated, and mean. He would wander around more and seem a lot more confused than he was earlier in the day. With an Alzheimer's patient this is called Sun Downers Syndrome.  This is a late day anxiety that the care taker seems to see the patient more disruptive than usual.  There is no standard testing for Sun Downers but you can give your loved one medicine to help the patient to relax.

Check out this article from Alzheimer's Weekly http://www.alzheimersweekly.com/content/can-aricept-soften-sundowning  

New research provides the best evidence to date that the late-day anxiety and agitation sometimes seen in older institutionalized adults, especially those with dementia, has a biological basis in the brain.
The findings could help explain “sundowning,” a syndrome in which older adults show high levels of anxiety, agitation, general activity and delirium in late afternoon and evening, before they would normally go to bed.

Check out this article from Alzheimer's Weekly http://www.alzheimersweekly.com/content/what-causes-sundowning-frustration-chemistry

I hope these help you as you try to provide the love and  comfort to your loved one as you take care of them with this terrible Alzheimer's Disease. 

Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Seaboard Press An Imprint of James A Rock Pub., Co.
http://www.mariefostino.com/
http://www.mariefostino.blogspot.com/