I just spent 2months looking after Mum in the Uk, since my return she has told my sisters and family I have stolen from her, it is so painful. , my sisters arent speaking to me
Oh, how sad is that! Sad, for your mom, that she has this terrible disease; sad for you that you've done so much and not lauded, sad that your family doesn't get it. Could you send them a link to this website, with its wealth of information about dementia? Or the Alzheimers Society website? The story you tell is heartbreaking common, only more so when the accusations are permitted to harm good- willed family members and caregivers.
Have you and your sisters done any learning about dementia? What your mother is doing is extremely common. Persons with dementia feel all kinds of losses in their lives, and they become paranoid about having things taken from them. Sometimes they hide things so that no one will steal them, forget that they hid them, and then are more sure than ever that someone is stealing. If Mum is missing things or even imagines that she misses things, who better to blame it on than the one who was with her and now is gone?
This scenario is extremely common. You mother isn't being untruthful or mean -- the dementia is in control.
The real tragedy here is that your sisters apparently believe Mum's delusions. What has your relationship with these sisters been like in the past? Are they in denial about the dementia or just ignorant of what that might mean?
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Have you and your sisters done any learning about dementia? What your mother is doing is extremely common. Persons with dementia feel all kinds of losses in their lives, and they become paranoid about having things taken from them. Sometimes they hide things so that no one will steal them, forget that they hid them, and then are more sure than ever that someone is stealing. If Mum is missing things or even imagines that she misses things, who better to blame it on than the one who was with her and now is gone?
This scenario is extremely common. You mother isn't being untruthful or mean -- the dementia is in control.
The real tragedy here is that your sisters apparently believe Mum's delusions. What has your relationship with these sisters been like in the past? Are they in denial about the dementia or just ignorant of what that might mean?
Hugs to you. This has got to be heartbreaking.
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