Facing "Fall Back"

For caregivers of a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's disease, the time change can pose additional challenges, since the illness itself disrupts their circadian clock and makes the brain less flexible overall. Your loved one may have trouble understanding the switch in their schedules, and have problems adapting to the new routine. Since nightfall arrives an hour earlier, the time change may exacerbate periods of sundowning, with the earlier, fading light being accompanied by increased anxiety, agitation, and restlessness.