A dementia diagnosis impacts everyday life in many ways. Simple tasks often become more challenging, and a loved one with dementia may no longer be able to live alone safely.
You might not know that environmental factors, from lighting to the weather, often impact people with dementia. These environmental fluctuations can change someone's mood, impact confusion levels and alter how well they sleep. Learn more about the impact of weather so you can support your loved one as they move through the seasons.
The weather can affect your loved one's physical health and well-being in many ways. People with dementia are often more vulnerable to extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, due to their level of cognitive functioning. They might not understand how to protect themselves from dangerous temperatures, for example. Changes in the weather and the amount of daylight during different times of the year may also affect your loved one's symptoms and mood.
Medical conditions often make the impacts of weather more noticeable. Some chronic conditions that your loved one may have, in addition to dementia, could complicate their response to weather. For example, abnormal blood flow caused by diabetes can make it difficult to stay warm in cold weather. MS and Parkinson's disease often increase a person's sensitivity to heat. Certain medications also impact how the body responds to heat and cold.
Hot days increase the risk of dehydration for people with dementia. Your loved one may forget to drink water, which can lead to more confusion than normal. Dementia can make it difficult for your loved one to tell if they're thirsty, increasing the risks of dehydration.
Heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, are also a concern for people with dementia, who might not understand how to dress for the weather. Getting too much physical activity or spending too much time in the hot sun is also a potential problem. Dementia may make it difficult to recognize the signs of being overheated or to understand what to do at the first signs of a problem.
If your loved one takes certain prescription medications, they could be more vulnerable to hot weather. Antidepressants, antihistamines and antibiotics sometimes make it more difficult to regulate body temperature and sweating. Diuretics could increase the risk of dehydration and affect your loved one's electrolyte levels. Taking extra precautions if your loved one takes medications or has other chronic conditions can reduce the risk of health issues in the heat.
People with dementia might also suffer in frigid temperatures if they don't recognize the feeling of being cold. Even if they are cold, expressing that feeling is often challenging if someone has lost their ability to communicate. Asking your loved one if they're cold could be met with confusion.
If your loved one lives on their own, going outside in freezing temperatures is a potential risk. Dementia often causes wandering, which can lead to someone getting lost. This can be particularly risky if your loved one doesn't remember how to dress appropriately or spends an extended amount of time outdoors.
Physical activity may become more challenging in extreme weather. Going for walks can help improve mood, memory and sleep. However, walking outdoors in hot or cold weather can be dangerous or uncomfortable. Finding other ways to keep your loved one active can help when the weather doesn't cooperate.
It's not only extreme temperature that can make dementia symptoms worse. Changes in the environment may cause people with dementia to become disoriented or more confused than normal. Being unable to understand and regulate their body temperature well may increase confusion.
People with dementia are often more sensitive to changes in temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. Changes in these weather conditions often trigger migraines and may increase physical pain, such as that caused by arthritis. The increased discomfort caused by weather changes often amplifies agitation in people with dementia.
Weather changes may trigger mood changes in your loved one. Hot or cold weather may increase agitation or frustration in people with dementia. Weather extremes often increase confusion or disorientation. That can be compounded by issues such as dehydration in the summer or less sunlight in the winter.
Cold weather can be isolating for people with dementia who live at home. Bad weather often makes it more difficult to get out of the house or have visitors. Missing out on those interactions means your loved one also loses opportunities to engage cognitively and reminiscence, which could slow their cognitive decline. Colder, shorter days may also increase feelings of depression. Finding ways to socialize and stay mentally engaged may help reduce these effects.
Earlier sunsets in the winter often increase sundowning in people with dementia. It may result in paranoia, hallucinations, agitation and other mood changes. Ways to help reduce sundowning include sticking to a routine, keeping your loved one engaged in activities they enjoy and creating an environment that is calm and relaxing.
Less sunlight may also disrupt your loved one's sleep schedule. Natural light helps regulate circadian rhythms, which lets the body know when to sleep. Earlier sunsets may throw off that internal clock and cause confusion about when to sleep and when to stay awake. Dementia often makes it difficult for people to sleep well at night, so additional interruptions to sleep can make the issue even worse. Insomnia may increase agitation and the risk of falls.
Falcons Landing is a nationally and locally recognized community offering several levels of care, including Memory Care at Hillside House for individuals who experience cognitive impairments. We incorporate programs for our Memory Care residents year-round and offer features such as abundant natural light to create a safe, supportive environment.
With specialty programming and round-the-clock care, we provide the support your loved one needs regardless of the weather. Contact us to learn more about our award-winning community, including the supportive Memory Care neighborhood at Falcons Landing.
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