My mom is 75. She has not been diagnosed with any memory related disease. She is diabetic. We want her to seek help about her hallucinations but they are very real to her and will not allow any suggestion of seeking help. What can we do? Is it dementia, Alzheimer’s, a brain tumor, MS, or Parkinson’s or is she having a mental breakdown. We are at a loss at how to get her help.
get her doctor on the phone, ask your mother to describe what she is seeing to the doctor, and then let the doctor lead the conversation with the aim of gaining her agreement to an examination.
There could be absolutely *anything* going on. Even if you can't get your mother to agree to this idea, get medical advice for yourselves about what to do.
Alzheimer's IS dementia. It is but 1 type of dementia.
Parkinson's can also have a dementia, usually Lewey Body dementia and the dementia can have hallucinations but just the Parkinson's can have hallucinations .
The ONLY way to get the correct and very important answer is to see a doctor.
I say it is important because there are medications that can be given to patients with some forms of dementia and they do not pose a problem but some of thse same medications can be fatal to someone with Lewey Body dementia.
This is something that she needs to discuss with the doctor, or you need to bring up if you are able to communicate with the doctor if you do not go into the exam room with her.