Evenings
The evening decides the night
Most night problems are made between six and ten. That is where the fix usually is, too.
Short answer
Keep the last three hours calm and predictable, avoid dozing in the chair before bedtime, keep the bedroom cool and the route to the bathroom lit, and finish the day with the same short sequence every night.
Protect against the early doze
An hour asleep in the armchair at eight o'clock removes the sleep pressure that would have carried them through the night. Something mildly engaging in that hour — a call, a jigsaw, the radio — is worth more than any bedtime advice.
Lower the stimulation
News, loud television and difficult conversations in the last hour raise restlessness, particularly for people with dementia. Softer lighting and quieter sound genuinely change how the evening ends.
Sort the practicalities before bed
- A drink to hand, but the bulk of fluids taken earlier in the day.
- A dim nightlight on the route to the bathroom.
- Bedroom around 18°C, curtains closed, clutter cleared from the floor.
- Slippers and a walking aid within reach of the bed.
Finish with the same sequence
The same short set of steps each night, in the same order, becomes a signal the body responds to. It matters more than what the steps actually are.
A short evening prompt — "Time to settle down, dad" — at the same hour helps someone living alone hold to that.