Seasonal shifts

If the person you're caring for is anything like my Mum, you will understand when I say, "Brace yourself, winter's coming!" as the seasons change.

If not, here is an insight into what seasonal changes look like in my household, where I live with my Mum, who has mid-stage Alzheimer's.

An extra hour in bed? What's that? Darker mornings and nights drawing in lead to all sorts of fun and games. The moment the leaves start to fall, even before they touch the ground, I notice an immediate shift in Mum's moods. She becomes more confused; taps are left running, cupboard doors are wide open, the freezer door is left ajar with the drawers pulled out, lids are constantly being removed from pots and pans, and she walks up and down the stairs repeatedly. Her body clock is completely out of sync, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) rears its ugly head.

In winter, "SAD" refers to Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of depression characterised by symptoms such as low mood, low energy, and decreased interest in activities. It typically occurs in autumn or winter and improves in spring or summer. The reduced sunlight during the shorter days of winter is thought to disrupt the body's internal clock, leading to mood and energy changes.

Mum wakes up very early during the autumn and winter months, which I always find odd. She never closes her bedroom curtains at night, so it is more understandable for her to wake earlier in the summer months with the rising sun. However, waking early during darker mornings clearly indicates that her body clock is officially out of sync.

I purchased a SAD lamp, which I turn on for a couple of hours each morning from September until spring to help sync Mum's body clock. Although this rarely proves successful, as she walks in and out of all the rooms in the house during the first few hours after waking up.

Everything seems to conspire against any solution I try. The weather turns wet and cold, limiting outdoor activities. Road flooding from heavy rain restricts short car rides that might ease her bad moods. She shows no interest in family visits and doesn't travel well to see them for a change of scenery.

Halloween and Bonfire Night require further considerations, such as putting signs on the doors requesting no nighttime callers or placing sweets outside so they don't need to knock or ring the doorbell, which would startle Mum at night. I must ensure the curtains are closed and the TV volume is reasonable to drown out any bangs from the fireworks going off around us. This is a never-ending struggle, as Mum dislikes having the curtains closed, and if the TV volume is too loud, it interferes with her sundowning. Thankfully, Mum no longer likes to walk at night in the dark, as children in fancy dress costumes would terrify her.

Before her diagnosis, Mum used to love walking down to our local fireworks display and seeing the children enjoying Halloween and trick-or-treating. If I ever get invited to a Halloween party, I would leave the house before getting changed, as Mum would not recognise me and would become unsettled. I never go "all out" with my costumes, but even subtle face paint is enough to unsettle her. Walking down to the local fireworks display now results in extreme anxiety. Seeing multiple cars parked along the roadside with headlights glaring in her face causes too much confusion. She can't register children running around with glow sticks, screaming and laughing as kids do. The loud bangs are overwhelming due to her hearing sensitivities, and in general, there is just too much going on around her.

On a positive note, she stands outside our back door with a sparkler on New Year's Eve, so not all is lost... yet!

Mum has always loved Christmas, so I make a conscious effort to treat the holiday as we always did and keep traditions alive. We do some Christmas Eve baking of mince pies and sausage rolls, put up the tree, and choose a nice wreath for our front door. Not to forget settling down to a classic Christmas film with a hot chocolate. Alzheimer's can't take everything away, but it will certainly try.

Many would say, "I don't know why you bother," "she's not aware anymore," or "your efforts won't be appreciated." Who cares! Nostalgia does work! Yes, I still get her a Christmas card and wrap gifts for her to open on Christmas Day. Why not?! She always gave my brothers and me the most memorable Christmases. I can't match what she gave us, but I will give it my best shot.