Sundowners syndrome can mean increased anxiety, restlessness, fear and insecurity for our loved ones in the afternoon and evening. One of the best ways to introduce a sense of calm and comfort is my next tip:
Use Music and Calming Sounds
I have a degree in music therapy and started out my career as a music therapist working in adult day centers and nursing homes. I found music to be an incredibly effective tool, especially for those who are living with dementia.
Years later, as I cared for Dad, my music therapy skills kicked in and we used music throughout the day to help him— instrumental music as he woke up, sing-along favorites or show tunes to activate him, and calming music when sundowning set in. Music gave Dad a much better quality of life while living with Alzheimer's.
According to a recent report from the AARP-founded Global Council on Brain Health music stimulates many areas of the brain, including those responsible for memory, movement and mood. So our brains process music in unique ways. That's why, for people with dementia, music is often more effective than spoken language. Some caregivers tell me their loved one has never been a big music fan, but when they try using music this way their loved ones actually do respond well.
Here are some tips for using music and calming sounds:
- You may try a few different types of music for your loved ones until you find the sound and genre that resonates with them. You can use your smartphone, computer, CD player, radio, TV or smartspeaker to play music. You can always sing too! If Dad got anxious, we started singing his favorite songs and he would join in — a great diversion and mood changer.
- I recommend you try using headphones because we find that helps shut out distracting sounds and helps the brain focus better. It's also helpful for those who are hearing impaired. Headphones for music and TV worked really well for Dad. (Although I often played music I could hear as I went about my caregiving tasks too - because it calmed my stressed-out nerves!)
- For calming music, I suggest trying instrumental music, like solo piano, classical guitar, harp, or instrumental religious music, folk music, show tunes etc. Try using music apps such as Pandora, Spotify, or Amazon Music. You can play albums, stations, channels or playlists they provide, or you can create a “relaxation” or “spa” channel using keywords.
- A calming meditation tape or app can be helpful too – the voices are generally very soothing and calming. Nature sounds are also very peaceful and relaxing. You might play a rain sound, ocean waves, waterfall, woodland sounds etc. We played a sleep meditation as Dad went to sleep, and a rain sound all night for which helped him fall asleep and slumber longer.
- Use music to gradually change your loved ones' mood. If your loved ones are very anxious and “worked up”, you might first try matching music to their current mood (more energetic music), and then gradually change the music to something calmer and more peaceful. This technique can help steer them to more serene place.
Check out my AARP video with tips for using music throughout your caregiving day!
Experiment with music and let us know what works for your loved ones!
Take care,
Amy Goyer, AARP Family & Caregiving Expert
Author, Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving
