My mother is in assisted living and complains every day about bugs biting her, leaving marks and taking her blood. How can I convince her it's just her psoriasis?

This behavior is very likely because of her dementia. Please get her to a doctor. There may be medications to help her cope with this. It sounds anxiety related, which is common with dementia. Good luck!
Carol

Put the cream on her at night and tell her that will keep the bugs off of her. If she has dementia, which it sounds like she does, there is NO use being logical with her anymore. Sorry.

It is Called MORGELLONS DISEASE.
Take it seriously.
Hope this helps.

It is nutty, but could you go to a craft store or section of Walmart and get some little lady bugs and hold em in your hand and show em to her and say look I got em all? Or would that make it worse?

Phyllis~My Mom also had dementia/AD-----and reasoning with her after a while--became very frustrating....as these people are in their own world. All you can do is appease her-and put on any cream (or whatever)..even though her imagination has taken over. Be prepare for more bizzare behavior (sorry to say)..and reach out for support for your own sanity. Suggestion - support group from your nearby Alzheimers Associaion chapter-or call them at their helpline (800) 272-3900. Although there is no cure for AD-at present-knowledge and support is the next best thing you can do--along woth taking some "me time" to hopefully avoid burnout.
Best to you on your journey~
Hap

There is no reasoning with dementia............perhaps when the cream is applied, whoever is doing it can tell her that's it being done to get rid of the bugs and it will all be fine in a few minutes. Or change the conversation away from her "fears" to something else........that works with my mom.....she will start talking about something else and forget the scratching.......her's is due to diabetes.

Calling the doctor is a good start. Before you call you should be aware that the nurse or doctor is going to ask several questions and you should be prepared with the answers. When did the problem start? At what time of day does it occur? How long has it been occurring?Are there times when it is less severe? What parts of the body are affected?Does she see the bugs? What have you tried? If Mom has dementia, know that explaining to her that she has psoriasis may be futile and might increase her anxiety. How long has Mom been in her new environment? Stress can worsen the outbreaks. Has she been on any new medications?Ibuprofen can aggravate psoriases. What is she eating? Citrus fruits and too many fats can cause flare ups. Does she spend time outdoors? Skin exposed to the sun often has a healing effect on the skin. If it's a new facility, what laundry detergent are they using? Some detergents can aggravate skin conditions and so can fabric softeners. Know that hot water can also be the cause of flare ups because it dries up the skin. If the person has dementia, reducing anxiety can help calm the skin and reduce flare ups. Since the bugs are eating her nails I would file her nails down so that she will do less damage when she scratches her skin.To get her to put the medication on, start with a nice foot massage then slowly and with permission go up her body. If it's on her arms, start with a hand message and then slowly massage the cream up on her arms. Or after a bath tell her its a new body lotion that will keep the bugs away. God Bless and hope this helps.

everyone who has given an answer to her question about her mother has been a help. it lets me know that there are people out there who truly do care not only for themselves and the ones they care for but others and the ones they care for. this site is truly amazing and a blessing to all caregivers and the sick, indigent, and elderly that they care for.

I agree with JUDYC. Morgellons disease is a distinct possibility and so often those with dementia/Alzheimer's are ignored when they are trying to 'describe' a feeling they are having. Speak to her doctor about this,and see if there is something else that can be done.

Here is a link to the MAYO Clinic's description and treatment for this condition. Don't ignore her complaints. Creams may help, but if there is something else that can be done to eliminate the problem, look into it!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/morgellons-disease/SN00043

God Bless

i have morgellons, its funny someone here mentioned that. im 43 though. for your mom, tell her the bugs are her friends, that she WANTS them to help her.. sometimes that works, acording to how far her mental is. it may be thats shes really unhappy. but then again, she may have something biting her. just because they dont bite you, doesnt mean they arent biting her. see if you can ask her what she would like to do, move to another place, clean, etc..