My mom is 92 years old and from time to time she has situations where she basically hallucinates, she has anxiety and for sure either Alzheimer’s or dementia. I notice they happen when she doesn’t get sleep. She sees things, begins to pant uncontrollably and and screams that she’s in some pain or she is alone . It’s really hard to deal with . Other days she absolutely fine and her normal self it’s like Jeckle and Hyde !
Any thoughts friends !
on many previous posts I see many parents are in their 90’s . I pray my momma doesn’t have to endure another 20 plus years in this no state of mind!!! .
Most of the time when I visit she does recognize me or refers of me as her sister. Asks about if I have talked with mom and or other relatives that have passed a many years ago, of course I just roll with it all.
It is definitely heartbreaking to say the least!!!
my next steps are to figure how to continue to pay for the facility her funds are dwindling fast. My options are cash in her life insurance and have Medicaid supplement or sell her home.
if we cash in we have to maintain her home until passing which is a lot of work, I’ve been doing for the last 7 years with not a lot of help from other siblings. I would prefer to sell her home keep life insurance going and just keep going. Others I feel have another agenda. ?
I often think, how are all these baby boomers going to manage the cost it is going to cost down the road for them!!!??? It will be astronomically crazy!!!
For all of you in this same boat I wish you strength, endurance and blessings in this new year of 2023
😘🤗☮️🤗🙏🏻
Bug infestation everywhere -- including the hospital ER and ambulance
Mice coming out of rooms under the doors
Birds chirping from within the walls
Time warps of seeing family members at random times
Imposters -- family members had been replaced by same named strangers
Aliens with bald heads coming for dinner
So, yes, hallucinations, delusions and paranoia are all classics in dementia. In MIL, it was there with and without UTI.
But the real irony was MIL laying in bed and sleeping through another memory care resident rummaging thru the drawers stealing items -- THAT was real and went completely unnoticed. LOL
My mom used to think that the TV was talking to HER.
If the hallucinations are not making your mother fearful, then just go with it. If they are causing fear or combativeness, then you might need to consider medication.
You will also need to get a definitive diagnosis for her Dementia.
When I told the hospice nurse about my mom seeing a young girl she said that she has heard many residents talk about seeing others in their rooms.
She took meds for her Parkinson’s disease and that is one of the possible side effects.
She developed dementia and tried walking out of the front door in the middle of the night. Who knows what is going on in their minds? It’s frightening and disturbing.
Hallucinations and dementia | Alzheimer's Society
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk › symptoms-and-diagnosis
10 Ways to Respond to Dementia Hallucinations in Seniors
https://dailycaring.com › 10-ways-to-respond-to-dementia...
What stage of dementia are hallucinations?
Hallucinations are caused by changes in the brain which, if they occur at all, usually happen in the middle or later stages of the dementia journey. Hallucinations are more common in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's dementia but they can also occur in Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.May 11, 2021
What is the most common type of hallucination for a person with dementia?
Visual hallucinations (seeing things that aren't there) are the most common type experienced by people with dementia. They can be simple (for example, seeing flashing lights) or complex (for example, seeing animals, people or strange situations).
10 ways to respond when someone is experiencing dementia hallucinations
Determine if a response is needed. ...
Stay calm and don't argue or try to convince using logic. ...
Validate their feelings and provide reassurance. ...
Check the environment and remove possible triggers. ...
Look for patterns. ...
Distract and redirect.
What is the best medicine for dementia hallucinations? Antipsychotic medications for hallucinations, delusions, aggression, agitation, hostility and uncooperativeness:
Aripiprazole (Abilify®)
Clozapine (Clozaril®)
Haloperidol (Haldol®)
Olanzapine (Zyprexa®)
Quetiapine (Seroquel®)
Risperidone (Risperdal®)
Ziprasidone (Geodon®)
Gena / Touch Matters
Is she nodding off in her chair or something? An accidental daytime nap is usually when my mom gets 'taken off' somewhere and for my mom it can take a few days or more to resolve.
No scary shows on TV if TV is being used to entertain... My mom going "somewhere else" to Hallmark channel is waaaaay calmer of an experience. There's a reason there's all those commercials on Hallmark ;) The first time it ever happened was she was watching NCIS. No more NCIS. I might be tempted to let her re-watch old Murder she Wrote episodes to assuage her urge to watch mystery stuff but even that I prob would make sure she doesn't nod off in the middle of an episode.
My mom also had super serious sleep issues before she went onto hospice. I can now* get her to get 4h uninterrupted which has restored her own personality at least.
Sleep is so, so valuable <3
When my 95 yo mother wakes up all night long, we both have a rotten day after.
Around the 4th or 5th "get up" she becomes combative and angry as I'm escorting her to the bathroom. The next day she will be disoriented, ill-tempered, disrespectful and demanding.
Same thing when she hasn't had a BM for a day or two.
The rare nights when she sleeps all night or only gets us up one time, she is a different person - pleasant, aware of her surroundings, thankful for assistance.
So, it's sleep and gut/bowel issues that have the biggest impact for better or worse.
I’ve often wondered if she’s “sleep talking” since she settles back down so quickly without further question. We have cameras throughout the house which I can check from home which proves she’s alone. She’s claimed to have searched the house but can’t find anyone. I remind her of the cameras (which I’ve checked) and that if the doors still have chairs in front of them that the house is secure and she goes right back to sleep.
I’m finding this happens on occassions where she’s had lots of unusual stimuli during the day, outings with family, no nap, extra or new caregivers. I’m glad she’s so easy to settle down as I prefer to stay on my own warm bed than to trod across the street in this winter weather!
I find that ANY changes to her day to daily schedule can be very disruptive. Her latest episode was Christmas night after a long day with family and friends at my daughter’s house along with a combination of different foods and drink (I forgot her tea bags) and no nap. Although we really try to keep long extra’s/changes to a minimum in terms of time spent, sometimes the fun out ways the cost of consequence.
All my best! I know how disruptive and disturbing this can be!
Sounds like you are having a time dealing with her.
But I would consult the doctors so you can get her more comfortable...that is very frightening for her and for you to deal with.
my mom started hallucinating, they progressed. She was not diagnosed with dementia, but I’m sure she had it mildly. So while your getting the uti checked , address the probable need for medications .. they did help my mom for a bit.. but then her dose would need adjusted
If it isn't a UTI, you should discuss meds with her doctor to address her anxiety, since she can't control this.