Mom, 79, will often get angry and start cursing and insulting me, which I've read about a thousand times. People with dementia do that, I get it.
QTIP: Quit taking it personally. I can do that.
What I CAN'T find are any accounts of a patient mocking their caregiver in a childlike voice, sucking her fingers, rolling her eyes, saying "Hi I'm Carrie and I can't wait to put my mama away so I can take all her money and wun away wiff Paul so we can (vulgar act here) just like I do with all the boys!!
<More finger sucking and hair twirling and eye rolling.>
"Paul" is a complex delusion and a hallucination that has been in her head for 5 years.
Then if I react, she giggles and keeps talking like Shirley Temple... "Awww...did the pretty wittle fat baby get her feewings hurt? Whatamatta wiff da baby girl??"
I leave the room. Sometimes she follows. If I pretend to be asleep she'll drift away.
It is SO CREEPY. It really is the stuff of nightmares.
I'll be so relieved when she's in memory care. We have 5 days until the move.
75mg Quetiapine does nothing except lessen the hallucinations slightly.
14 Answers
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Take a break from your mom. Plan a vacation and sit under a palm tree with a tall drink! I am not joking. Your mind needs a rest from all of this. Hire someone to check in on mom if you must.
I think when they move into memory care the suggestion is that you do not visit for some weeks. Talk about a deserved vacation, woman.
Do update us when mom goes to her new home.
And do expect them to come to suggest a trip to the MD for some good sedation!
On the other hand, Mom may provide some quality entertainment there.
Let us know when Mom goes into care.
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I have cared for all kinds. Elderly with dementia and younger people with mental illness.
I can tell you for a fact that the "baby talk" from my demented clients was never a problem. When someone is ignored long enough, they stop. Or when they get hungry. Or when they want something.
I have also never had a problem stopping my mental care clients when they'd start up with the manicial laughter and the acting up.
I always found the threat of calling 911 and having either brought to the hospital works to get them under control. When it doesn't, that's when you actually call 911.
The weather has been amazing as usual.
Hearing what others have gone through makes me feel almost lucky my Mom died in 2000.
I wish all of you PEACE.