Mom has isolated herself with no interest in people or going out. Refuses help. I'm 6 hrs away and work full time. I call but she is accusing my sibling of coming to house and stealing (he is on west coast); thinks I'm divorced (untrue); makes up stories about doctor and surgery (untrue). It is getting worse and it takes everything I've got to call her and listen to these untruths and accusations. Friends have stopped calling because she sounds crazy. SHe lives alone in her home; refuses outside help for cleaning, meals, companionship -- won't let anyone in. Help.
The weirdest thing she does is not using the phone. She will answer the phone if you call her but she will not call anyone. She will not call and check on her sick siblings or even her daughter. She has probably called me three times in the past year. She had a power failure for three days and was angry because my brother didn't call to check on her. He had power, no idea she didn't. He pays for her cell phone but she won't call him either. I wonder if this is just a control thing.
I see no memory loss, just confuses stories at times. I have questioned if this is the beginning of dementia. Or just a personality problem. she has always been strange and negative. She will lie if it suits her story. But the papanoia is having an effect on her elder planning and could affect what we can do for her.
Just don't know what to make of it. And forget getting her evaluated. She won't go for that either.
It sounds to me like she has gotten to the stage of being a danger to herself. Some of these folks have also been known to become violent especially when confronted by strangers. Act now. The police are used to handling issues like this. The PD in the city your Mom lives in could probably direct you to the agency that could best handle this situation. You probably do need to be there. Otherwise she's likely to be terrified at strangers invading her space. As I understand it--I took a course by the Alzheimer's Assoc--paranoia is common with dementia/Alzheimer's.