Dementia: restless behaviours

Some people with dementia become more confused, anxious or restless in the late afternoon or early evening.

This is sometimes called “sundowning”. When it happens, the person may:

• become more demanding, upset or suspicious
• find it harder to concentrate or pay attention to things
• see, hear or believe things that aren’t real
• believe they’re in the wrong place, and want to “go home” or “find Mum”
• become more impulsive.

These are some common causes, and some things you can try if someone close to you with dementia experiences restlessness in the afternoon.