I think my 80 yr old Mom had her first hallucination, What do I do?

Call her doctor and let them know. My MIL occasionally has auditory hallucinations and she told me about a physical and auditory hallucination she had a couple of weeks ago. She's got mild/moderate Alzheimer's. She doesn't seem frightened by them and for my part I don't freak out. I just listen sympathetically and hope that just by listening it helps her. She seems more confused about them than scared, like what in the world was that. Her neurologist told me it was part of the AD and I confirmed with him as well as a pharmacist that it wasn't any medications interacting. Her primary doctor's nurse told me it was normal and if the hallucinations started frightening her to let them know and they could prescribe something. I'd hate to go the medication route since she's already on so many. Is there anything else I need to be doing to help her since she doesn't seem freaked out them? This is the first time I've seen dementia up close and personal to be honest. My great-aunt had it too but I wasn't around her a lot so I don't know what all to expect.

I think this is a delusion too. My mother has increasing short term memory and increasing paranoia. The mental health nurse says they are linked. She had a delusion about the doctor saying he was going to send her to a nursing home. She said then that she told him that she fired him as her doctor.She is physically pretty well, and not ready for a nursing home, so I called the office and talked to the head nurse, who was there throughout the appointment. She said that that conversation never happened. Mother does not have AD, but is declining mentally with age. Cognitively she is still pretty good. She does need an evaluation, but I know the difficulty of getting a reluctant senior to a doctor. I think that driving is a no no, considering her condition. Good luck!

Oh, yes this is soooooooooooooooo horrible for you. Don't aggravate your Mom about it though. To her, whatever she is telling you is real, although it's not. Find room in your heart to forgive her. This isn't her speaking, it's the dementia. :( If she continues to have alz., dementia, and/or hallucinations, you need to call her doctor or take her to see her doctor. You will feel better if you get her professional help. I know she will most likely put up a fight about going anywhere but find a caregiver and/or driver to help you take your Mother in to be evaluated at a clinic or hospital. Maybe she has a urine infection and this could play a huge role in her hallucinating. Also, have her sugars checked. Good luck!!! It's important to tell your Mom that everything will be okay and then redirect her on to talking about positive things. Another thing, I called the alz. hotline and received this advice. It didn't work immediately but the next day or so my Husband was talking sense again. I still remember how relieved I was to have him back again. Her bouts of dementia are going to happen but don't give up because the bouts vary and I found out that my Husband would snap out of them. :) Praise God for helping us to get past all of the bad times. It's heartbreaking to watch a loved one slip away. Best wishes to you and your Mom. Sincerely, Rubyinred

i had a doc appt one day and asked a friend to stay with mom a couple of hours. the friend called as i was headed home and said mom thought i was in a hospital somewhere bleeding profusely. no wonder carers fear the unknown, anything can happen

I haven't yet had the chance to try my own advice (that time is coming) - but I often think, reading other people's posts: "if the mood swings are rough on you, how must they feel to your mother?" Not that it stops the being in the firing line without warning, of course; but I'm hoping it'll help me stay sympathetic.

I wonder what happened with that answering machine message! Weird. Did you get a chance to see if there were ANY messages, maybe an obscene phone call or something that she misunderstood? Could she have had some sort of vivid dream that stuck with her? Maybe it was guilt-induced?! I suppose there's no way of knowing.

Everyone is right, as so often happens: any sudden change in behaviour or personality needs investigating. By hook or by crook, get her to her doctor.

And enjoy all the hugs you get: "You got to ac-cen-tuate the positive, e-lim-inate the negative, latch on to the affirmative…" etc. There's one blessing for a start - you don't have to hear me sing!

i think one would call that delusional thinking as opposed to hallucinations. either way it sure sounds like theres dementia involved. even this early in the illness i hope you learn to not dispute her . it only causes her to resent you and you could become the enemy. dont try to make sense of the jibberish either. it isnt rational thinking and your brain cant proccess or make sense of it.
i would slip doc a note concerning the delusional thinking and your concerns about her driving. he / she can evaluate the patients mental capacity with just a few questions.
the disease only gets worse and youll need a hell of a firm mindset to deal with it.

I feel for you so sorry! I agree it will continue..She isn't acting this way on purpose...

Now the reality is that she should NOT be driving! Please take the car away immediately!!! Not just the keys or license..

No new meds :( today was a good day, I put up all her Xmas decorations and even though she was constantly negative at the end she gave me a hug! This up/down - nice/mean is very draining

Any recent new/different medications?

Call the doctor anyway. She is going to have another outburst, the level of violence will increase, and you may need the police to subdue her and get her to a full evaluation in hospital. So sorry you have to go through this.