Daylight Saving Time and Caregiving: Tips From Someone Who’s Been There

By Michelle F. Solomon

As a caregiver, when it was daylight saving time, either fall back or spring forward, I braced myself. Both were difficult for my mother –  especially in the assisted living facility.

I always visited and spent the dinner hour with my mother (I had her close by so I could run over frequently) and then we would watch television or sit in the lobby for a bit. Usually around 8 p.m., she was ready to retire to her room.

Her dementia and Alzheimer’s had manifested itself in anxiety and her sundowner’s was more of a scared nervousness than agitation.

In the Fall, the sun would set close to 6 p.m., and soon after it was dark outside. Mom would get anxious. Wasn’t it time to go to bed? I realized sitting in the lobby with its many windows wasn’t a good idea because she could see outside where it sure looked like late evening. She’d get nervous and want me to leave: “You are out too late.” She was still my mom.

Hard to explain to her that, yes, it looked like it was night, but it was only a little after 6 p.m. I dreaded fall back. 

I thought maybe spring forward would be easier. We could spend more time outside on our walks (by then she was in a wheelchair, so I would push her outside on the garden paths after dinner). But at 7:30 p.m. it was still light outside and accustomed to her 8 p.m. bedtime, she was anxious – confused as to why she was so tired when it was so bright out.

The changes in the daylight hours had disrupted her sleep pattern. 

To explain to her the time change, something she surely would have understood before her diagnosis, was difficult. She didn’t understand the concept. She never liked the time change when she was a teacher since she had to drive to work when it was dark during fall back!

But during our years with Alzheimer’s and dementia, the time change was never good – not for me and not for any other caregiver caring for a loved one.

It was always a topic of conversation in our family support group – a group that we had organically strung together since all of us just needed some shoulders to lean on. The time change was one of those learning moments.

Daylight Saving Tips for Caregivers

This year, daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 9 and we’ll set our clocks ahead one hour.  

I remember asking the Alzheimer’s Association if they had any tips on how to help Mom and how to help me and the other families. They did have some recommendations that personally helped and I hope can help caregivers with the adjustment. 

1. As a caregiver, you probably have learned that it’s good to have structured daily routines to help minimize confusion and anxiety. The time change throws all this off. Try shifting daily routines gradually leading up to daylight saving time. Or, better still, try to keep everything the same, mealtimes, medications, bedtime routines.
2. If you can tell them in simple terms about the time change, it may help with their understanding. But be patient, my mother had a hard time grasping the concept of time in general – Alzheimer’s and dementia had robbed her of her processing skills –  so this was even more complicated.

Who knows? Someday maybe we won’t have to change the clocks at all.

Having a loved one with Alzheimer’s and dementia is difficult. Father Time makes it difficult all the way around with this progressive disease.

To caregivers, I’m personally sending you hugs for all you do to make their lives so much better.

If you need more guidance and resources about daylight saving time and coping or any other help, call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 or go to alz.org.