The best ways to support dementia patients when the clocks go back

People living with dementia face severe confusion on the best of days so when the nights begin the draw in earlier, an extra helping hand may be vital.

Alzheimer’s Society have issued new advice on how to support people living with dementia when the clocks go back on 29^th October, marking the beginning of daylight-saving hours.

According to the leading UK charity, when the days get shorter, it could take longer to regulate people with dementia’s circadian biological clock, compared to those without the condition. In addition, those with the disease can become distressed or confused when it starts to get darker in the afternoon.

To help combat this, the charity have provided some tips which include:

• Keeping to a routine during the day and at bedtime can regulate a disrupted body clock. This could include keeping meal and exercise times each day.
• Going outside in the morning as this can help to set a person’s body clock and can make them sleepier in the evening. This effect can also be created by using a light box.
• Avoiding sleep disrupters during the day such as caffeine and napping.

Dr Tim Beanland from Alzheimer’s Society, said that for most of us, the clocks going back ‘is met with a light-hearted shrug’ and just requires making a mental note to change all your clocks at home.

However, Dr Beanland claimed for people with dementia, the clocks going back can ‘trigger anxiety, confusion and irritability.’

Tips for helping people with dementia at this time of year have been welcomed with open arms as research shows more than 944,000 people in the UK have dementia, with numbers rising because people are living longer.

However, it is estimated that by 2030 there will be more than one million with the condition in the UK.

Image: malith d karunarathne

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