Have you heard about Sundowners Syndrome? Elders sometimes change behavior late in the day. Around here, we call it Suntory Syndrome. That’s because one of our Elders seems to think a cocktail before dinner is a good idea. Even though he isn’t eating much dinner. And is on 16 pills a day already. And then wants to take a sleeping pill before bed.
Elders and alcohol abuse could fill a book many times over. It’s on the rise. And the effects on older women are twice as destructive to the heart as on men. At this juncture, our Elder’s doctor has said he should enjoy himself. But sometimes that gets scary.
Tonight, after returning from a short trip, one of us found an elder enjoying a cocktail at 3pm. Later on, said elder decided to broil an entire pack of bacon for dinner. Broiler + elder w/dementia + alcohol + bacon = one big scary mess in the kitchen. And he only ate one slice.
The Hazelden Foundation has some resources for identifying, and if you can, confronting the problem. But at this very late date in our family, it doesn’t seem likely that there is much to be done, save confiscating the car keys. Someone still manages to get it, when his helper takes him grocery shopping.
Have you noticed this – and had any luck putting the brakes on? Let us know.
This is Demented 