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Spring is a wonderful time of the year. We are hopefully saying goodbye to cold winters and welcoming springtime.  Looking forward normally to warmer times which most of us prefer to cold winter days. Trees change to green, and flowers start to grow. We put on our lighter clothes in readiness for the glorious sun that we hope will appear. People appear to be happier with smiles on their faces and often a friendly hello even to strangers.

However, for some people living with dementia especially people in the latter stage of dementia many articles suggest that springtime may impact negatively on this cohort of people. They suggest that changes in light exposure can influence mood. Sundowning, a common symptom in dementia causing increased confusion, can worsen during springtime. The comparison is made with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that many of us can have. On a positive note, these symptoms can be managed using coping strategies. For example, care homes should ensure natural sunlight is used, and staff should be aware that some residents may struggle with changes in daylight. In the instance where residents might struggle with behaviour issues caused by change of daylight staff in care home or indeed informal carers caring for loved ones need to provide extra reassurance. A simple act of helping to plant seedlings to enable individuals to watch them grow can give much pleasure.

Nevertheless, Springtime is a lovely time of the year for most of us including people living with dementia especially those with early and mid-stage of dementia. Waking up in the morning with the daylight streaming through the bedroom window is a wonderful tonic for most of us. We often have that extra spring in the step when going about our daily living. What is a nicer sight than seeing daffodils growing in abundance. For many of us whether living with dementia or not Springtime feels like the start of coming out of hibernation the dismal dark morning and dark nights gone.

We are woken in the mornings by the birds chirping and when we look out, we often see an abundance of colour formed by various flowers and trees. Many individuals, including those living with dementia, consider springtime to be a favourable season. I for one totally agree!