Sundowning in Dementia: Why Symptoms Get Worse at Night — And What to Do | Ep 12

The sun goes down and everything falls apart. That's sundowning. And it's not random — it's neurological. In this episode, gerontologist Ginell Butler, MAASM, MSA explains what's actually happening in the dementia brain in the late afternoon and evening, why the 4pm–8pm window is the hardest, and — most importantly — the environmental changes that consistently make it better: light, routine, meal timing, and caregiver energy. This is the episode every family with a dementia diagnosis needs. If your evenings have started to feel unmanageable, this is where you start. You'll learn: • What sundowning actually is — the circadian and fatigue mechanisms • Why the 4pm–8pm window is the hardest (and what changes at 3:30) • The four environmental fixes that work for most families • When agitation crosses into "call the doctor" territory ⭐ Free tool for this episode: Questions to Ask at the Appointment — including how to bring sundowning to the neurologist. Grab it free: senioradvocators.org/library 📞 Book a private consultation with Ginell: senioradvocators.org 🎙️ Ginell Butler, MAASM, MSA — gerontologist, founder of Senior Advocators Inc. This podcast is educational and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. 🔔 New episodes weekly.