I had a weird experience with my mother today. She has Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, mid- stage. We were having a (relatively) normal discussion when all at once she began talking about me as if she were discussing me with some other person, as if I wasn't there! It was all negative trash-talk, "Amber said blah-blah" and "Amber did thus and so." I made no attempt to re-orient her, not wanting to alarm her or cause a catastrophic reaction. Instead, I kept trying to redirect her to a different topic, which would work momentarily, but she kept returning to the same negative comments to me (about me) as if I wasn't there. We were in the car, just the two of us. Finally, after 10 minutes of going around and around like this, she dropped it. Is this a common dementia behavior? Did I handle it appropriately?
He ordered anti-anxiety meds in the afternoons for her " s u n d o w n e r s ".
I wonder who she thought was driving? And of course you are bound to wonder what the heck put her brain on this weird chain of thought. But I wouldn't wonder too long or you'll end up as bat-sh*t crazy as she is.
I used to try to see what time period my Mom was re-living. I finally realized she was in her late teens. Honestly, it made me feel good since that was a very happy time for her. She would ask me (her sister) where her brothers were. I'd tell her they were out playing soccer. She RARELY asked about my Dad --- she hadn't met him yet when she was in her late teens!
The various forms of dementia are really a strange phenomenon. Love her as she loved you and keep up the redirection.
May God bless you and help you with the strength you need to do the things you need to do. Trust in HIM. I will be praying for you, you are a good daughter.