January 12, 2019

White Dog was already standing by the kitchen gate when Steve got there at 3am. Poor Nilla was having anxiety and had cried for help. This past week has been a rough one for our senior Girl and her dementia. Sundowner's Syndrome has kept her awake a good portion of each night; she just wanders her "safe" space in the kitchen. Neither calming tablets nor melatonin keep her resting.

We have a memory mattress for her set up and leave the oven light on as a night light. But this early morning found her crying out. Steve brought her into the bedroom and I held her tightly but after a while she no longer wanted to be held. She did not like the darkness of the room where the others all slept. Steve took her out and rearranged her in her spot in the kitchen only to have her yelp when he tried to leave.

We stood talking in the kitchen and looked over to see her settling down. A light went on. Nilla wanted the comfort of noise, conversation; she did not want to be alone...I suggested we provide some music and Steve found a gentle classical station which featured piano works. He left the volume low enough to only be heard in the kitchen. Perfect!

As a guarantee that she...and Steve...would get some sleep we gave her a benedryl. He went back to check on her after I got in bed and came back to report she was already calmer and lying down.

Nilla slept through the rest of the night and the music seems to be appreciated, even as an undercurrent to our daily noise. It is a tool we will continue to use not just for our sweet baby but because it adds an element of peacefulness to all.