Sundowning Syndrome: Clinical Factors and Therapeutic Approaches

Course Description

Course Description:

Healthcare professionals who work with dementia patients often face unique challenges with adverse events from the dementia process. One frequently reported challenge is "sundowning syndrome", which can lead to escalated behaviors and clinical symptoms in the afternoons or evenings. This course explains the pathophysiology of sundowning syndrome to include the neurobiological, medical, pharmacological, psychosocial, and environmental factors which contribute to the signs and symptoms of this disorder. Furthermore, this course expounds on evidence-based and practical interventions to address sundowning symptoms to include those that address underlying conditions, those that promote more quality sleep, environmental factors found to be effective, and other non-pharmacological interventions shared by nursing services and caregivers.