Re: Dementia and Hallucinations

LizzieInSRQ · ‎12-27-2010

@Jo1313 has your husband been under general anesthesia with in the last 6 months or so?

pdlinda · ‎10-23-2011

@juanitalinda We had the same situation with my mom before she passed away at age 98. Toward the end of her life, she insisted there was no one there to assist her even though the nurse assistant was in the next room! Even when she saw her, she asked when the nurse she knew(the woman standing before her) was coming to take care of her.

In the end, it was a blessing that mom passed away peacefully because her loved ones did not want her to suffer any longer.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

@Jo1313

My 89 year old mother is in endstage dementia; the last 5 years have been the most intense.

2 years ago was when Mom started voicing her thoughts and dreams as real happenings. She was adamant about one story in particular, that was ridiculous, but so real to her, and I thought she would never let it go!

Mom has talked about the other people in her house for years. Our family is very small, so there are only 7 of us who have been in her home on a regular basis since before Covid. We finally figured out those other people are us. We became those "other people" about the time she lost the memory of who we are to her. My brothers are the nice men who come to visit and depending on where her mind is at the exact moment I visit, I can be a childhood friend, her mother, sister, the neighbor who lives in this house, or a complete stranger. She has not recognized me as her daughter for more than a year. In January she told a Hospice nurse she had 3 children; a girl and 2 boys. She said my name but did not remember my brothers names, altho she did acknowledge the brother who was with her was one even tho she didn't know his name.

Regardless of how far you are into this dementia journey, my one suggestion which comes from personal experience is to choose your words carefully and don't tell the person they're wrong. Their frustration can turn violent in the blink of an eye and they are incredibly strong when angry!

I send best wishes to you thru this difficult journey. Take care of yourself as well.

Jo1313 · ‎02-02-2021

@LizzieInSRQ wrote:
@Jo1313 has your husband been under general anesthesia with in the last 6 months or so?

No anesthesia..but I will have his Dr. check for a urinary tract infection as others here have mentioned.

I've looked up all his meds but I don't know if when all mixed together might contribute to it.

He's been taking all the same meds for well over a yr.

manny2 · ‎05-24-2010

It is common in Alzheimer’s, and other dementias. It is due to changes in the brain. Don’t argue with him, just go along with it. Dementia patients become combative if you try to reality orient them.

If the behavior becomes dangerous, then I would seek medical intervention.

kze · ‎03-09-2010

@jlkz

Yes, I've heard the marching band music before! All of my music sounds as if it's in a room on the far side of a big house and I live in a small apartment. I read this usually happens to women and they tend to hear music from their younger days. I heard a lot of Christmas carols.

I've never heard nature sounds like you. My first audio hallucination sounded like someone at the far end of my building was drilling on concrete. It was a soft sound and was at night so I just fell asleep. It happened frequently and I didn't realize it wasn't real until it happened when I was out of town.

I know your current situation is very stressful and I wish you the best.

Goodie2shoes · ‎04-30-2012

I have a sister who is in her late 60's with Parkinson's and in a nursing home. She has Dementia and Hallucinations. She has accused our brother and sister-in-law of coming into her room overnight and taking her clothes among other things and she is convinced no matter what we tell her. She thinks I was at the nursing home at 5 am one morning, no way! but she thinks I was there. Very sad.

moonandthestars · ‎03-11-2010

@Jo1313 Sorry to hear you and your loved one are going through this.

I would agree with those who advised/suggested that you not tell your person that they are wrong in what they are conveying to you, unless they seem distressed by it. If the conversation is calm, then just let them be - go with the flow. You can actually have an interesting conversation - ask some light questions, maybe they'd be willing to tell you more details about what they see and who these people are. Have some light back and forth - be a little playful with it. Again, unless they feel concerned by what they are saying and seeing. And unless they are conveying untrue things about their health/life to a nurse or dr. or social worker, etc - and in that case intervene but try to provide the correct information in a subtle way or more privately to them.