How do you deal with the hallucinations and delusions?

I don't know much about the meds to treat delusions or hallucinations. My cousin has them, but they are mild and actually bring her cheer. She sometimes says there are little animals in the trees outside her window. I can't see them, but I say I do. She loves them. She also believes her boyfriend (she doesn't have one) comes and takes her to dinner on a horse, that her doctor sleeps on a couch in her lobby and that she works at her Memory Care unit, but they don't bother her, so we just go along with it. Last year, she had some scary ones for a short while, but they stopped. I'm not sure if her Cymbalta helped that or not, but they stopped when she went on the Cymbalta. It could be coincidence.

We have a family friend with dementia, who sees two of the same person. She sees Bad Mary and Good Mary. Mary is her daughter. If she's upset, Mary will tell her that she's Good Mary and that seems to comfort her. If seeing you upsets her, you might explain that you are the Good daughter and that the other one has gone away. It might help console her and maybe the medication adjustment will help a lot.

Just an interesting note. Moms' had dementia for years and has really only developed the hallucinations and delusions over the last year. After reading about LBD she certainly has many of the symptoms. I wonder if it isn't just that that area of her brain is finally being affected by the dementia shes' had for years. As the doc says it doesn't really matter there isn't any cure for dementia, but it's good to know as can try different tx options. I report to the doc today on how she's doing. Hope we get another med adjustment. Poor Mom I feel so bad for her as this causes her such distress. This is such a horribly cruel disease.
Thanks for your ideas on how to deal with this.

Sorry, for some reason I hadn't seen the whole text. Have you been taught about sun downers syndrome? Maybe read about that. Also, is she taking any opiates? Sometimes the can cause hallucinations.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. It can be unpleasant. I do know that avoiding refuting hallucinations can be helpful. In other words, don't argue that the person really isn't seeing/hearing something. But you can say, "Oh, I don't see it. But that's ok." Sometimes knowing a bit more about your loved ones situation can help. Can you tell us what is ailing him/her? Sometimes toxins can cause hallucinations as well as end of life, or medications etc.

Nojoy, I hope Jeannegibbs is still out there. I know she will know a lot about what you can do. The hallucinations and delusions are so common in LBD. The good thing is that they can be treated with medications from what I read, so hang in there until the medications do their magic. I believe I read that these problems are most pronounced in earlier stages of LBD. Until the meds work, I believe I would just try to placate and reassure. Making yourself scarce is also a good ploy to keep from agitating her if it works. I hope that it does get better soon. And I hope that Jeanne sees your post.