Hallucinations and how to approach

Sodon321

New member
Sep 24, 2019
4
0
Hi,

My mother has PCA Alzheimers, she has slowly been declining over the years, especially her eyesight as this is part of it, but recently she has started to hallucinate. It is nothing bad but keeps seeing two girls outside the window, she thinks it’s next doors kids but they only have 1 girl and I have been there when she points and says look there they are just looking in again - there is never anyone there.

I am not sure what to do, should I just go along with it, should I tell her no one is there? I do not want to scare her and tell her she’s hallucinating.

I have been told it can get worse and there are tablets she can take but I am not sure if it is necessary yet.

Any advice appreciated. Thank you.
 

Kay111

Registered User
Sep 19, 2019
283
0
Hi @Sodon321 - my dad hallucinates and we just go with it. At the very beginning we'd contradict him and it could upset him, so we quickly learnt just to roll with it. I must admit it's sometimes not easy to look relaxed when you're inwardly creeping out because he's just pointed out "the little boy in the corner" :confused:

I also wonder if some hallucinations are actually observations that a PWD can't vocalise properly any more. We thought for a while that dad was hallucinating "little people dancing in the garden" and it turned out he was watching squirrels! :)
 

jrw197331

New member
Oct 16, 2019
2
0
Hi,
My mother has vascular dementia and the same thing happened to her,she thought there were 2 children in her house. It was very strange and frightening. It lasted a couple of days and then suddenly they stopped. The doctors have told us just to keep an eye on it.
 

Linton

Registered User
Jul 27, 2019
166
0
Hi.. My OH has LBD.. And is convinced our house is used as a drop in centre.. Children and adults constantly 'drop in'.. and he sometimes either wants to put signs up to discourage them or threatenes to ring the police... I go along with it with difficulty... And never say I can't see anyone.. but sometimes it's very hard if he gets angry with them.. He talks to them sometimes and complains they never answer... Its very distressing......
 

Linton

Registered User
Jul 27, 2019
166
0
:(Hi just to make it clear... I never say I do see the people.. manage to avoid confirming they are there.. but don't argue that they are not there's..hope its the right approach....
 

Linton

Registered User
Jul 27, 2019
166
0
Thanks bunpoots... Its reassuring to me to think I'm doing the right thing.. Xx
 

millalm

Registered User
Oct 9, 2019
262
0
It's so interesting that it's often children who appear in hallucinations. My Mum has mixed dementia, first diagnosed as vascular in 2012 and hallucinations and delusions have been the norm for the last 2 years. She often seemed anxious about what she was seeing so they gave her risperidone to try to help but after increased doses over a period of 6 months, without much change in her 'seeing things', I was worried about stiffness and some other side effects so I asked for it to be stopped. The stiffness and other side effects disappeared, and she became more alert. The hallucinations are not scary to her, and the delusions seem to have subsided, so I just go along and ask her questions about who/or what she is seeing. It is almost always children she sees, 'coming up the walk' even though she is on the third floor of the care home. She often has conversations with people in the corners of her room, offers them more shortbread and asks if they are warm enough :) It is a little spooky, sometimes all my hairs stand up but since there seem to be no negative effects on Mum, I just try to accept that it is part of our new norm. As long as the hallucinations don't scare her or make her anxious I wouldn't be too worried by them.
 

Lirene

Registered User
Sep 15, 2019
243
0
My husband has advanced Parkinson’s, dementia, psychosis, hallucinations etc,. He, at times, cannot be reasoned with and has lost track of reality. Clowns, animals, people, horses, children, car crashes, maps, flowers. In hospital people have pets in boxes, rats are running up the wall, staff are having parties at night with naked people and the things he thinks I am doing beggars belief!! He has seen different things for a good number of years. I don’t tell him things are not there because they are to him. He once told me the rose bushes were moved by mechanical means (certainly not the breeze). He said a dead Cheetah was walking down the road - when I asked how it was walking if it was dead he replied ‘it’s on strings, people are pulling them’ !! The wonderful world of the mind in free fall. Stay with it. Never give up, keep strong - it maybe us some day. Love and hugs xx
 

Linton

Registered User
Jul 27, 2019
166
0
Hi.. My OH has lewy body dementia and now hallucinations are driving me mad.. Everyday we have 'people' using the house as a drop in centre or for appointments.. Men.. Children and women.. Nearly all day except for a few hours.. Especially when he is tired... He talks to them.. Asks me to ring the police... Asks me to put signs up saying its a private house and should be respected.. Aks me when it started to be used in this way.. Constantly locking and unlocking doors.. Having to take my belongings... Bag ect with me when I leave a room.. On and on.. Try to distract and comfort but nothing works... At my wits end... Only hope it will stop at some point till another hallucination takes over....... Rant over.. Thanks for listening..
 

Rosserk

Registered User
Jul 9, 2019
396
0
Hi.. My OH has lewy body dementia and now hallucinations are driving me mad.. Everyday we have 'people' using the house as a drop in centre or for appointments.. Men.. Children and women.. Nearly all day except for a few hours.. Especially when he is tired... He talks to them.. Asks me to ring the police... Asks me to put signs up saying its a private house and should be respected.. Aks me when it started to be used in this way.. Constantly locking and unlocking doors.. Having to take my belongings... Bag ect with me when I leave a room.. On and on.. Try to distract and comfort but nothing works... At my wits end... Only hope it will stop at some point till another hallucination takes over....... Rant over.. Thanks for listening..


Hi my mum was like this for weeks it almost broke me! It’s a lot better now she’s taking doneprezole and lorazepam. Have you asked for a medication review?
 

Linton

Registered User
Jul 27, 2019
166
0
Hi.. No.. didn't realise it was an option.. Thanks for the info.. So wish someone would tell you all the options when you get in this situation... Thanks again
 

Rosserk

Registered User
Jul 9, 2019
396
0
Hi.. No.. didn't realise it was an option.. Thanks for the info.. So wish someone would tell you all the options when you get in this situation... Thanks again

Yes get in it straight away! The difference in my mum was dramatic and quick! No they don’t tell you. It might be awkward with it being the weekend so try 111 x
 

Splashing About

Registered User
Oct 20, 2019
434
0
My mum had hallucinations and it was nearly always children. She used to feed them spooning her puddling onto the tablecloth in every place they sat. She used to stroke my leg and talk to it as if it was a dog. We never argued or questioned it.
 

Linton

Registered User
Jul 27, 2019
166
0
Hi Splashing About and Roserk.. After last night having to phisically stop mu OH ringing the police to complain about the 'men' in our sitting room.. This morning I rang the doctor who prescribed some pills to help him sleep (up and dressed at 3 or 4 in the mornings) and suggested he write to his consultant and I should ring also.. I did and was told by the consultant 's secretary my OH was no longer on his books and should be only under his GP... What a mess care for sufferers of dementia is.... Pining hopes on the pills to help him sleep well....... Xxxx
 

Splashing About

Registered User
Oct 20, 2019
434
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It is a huge mess. When you’re desperate and reach out for help you are invariably directed to somewhere else which is often a dead end.
 

Rosserk

Registered User
Jul 9, 2019
396
0
Hi Splashing About and Roserk.. After last night having to phisically stop mu OH ringing the police to complain about the 'men' in our sitting room.. This morning I rang the doctor who prescribed some pills to help him sleep (up and dressed at 3 or 4 in the mornings) and suggested he write to his consultant and I should ring also.. I did and was told by the consultant 's secretary my OH was no longer on his books and should be only under his GP... What a mess care for sufferers of dementia is.... Pining hopes on the pills to help him sleep well....... Xxxx

I’ve lost count of the times I felt desperate and reached out for help only to find none forthcoming! It’s a total nightmare there really is no help when you need it. I hope the pills work and you get some help soon. Does your local council have a mental health team? That’s who we ring here if we need help. X
 

nita

Registered User
Dec 30, 2011
2,651
0
Essex
One thing you might want to rule out is Charles Bonnet syndrome which happens to people who are losing their sight. A distant relative suffered from this and at first I did think it was a sign of mental illness. However, if your mother has PCA Alzheimer's I suppose this is more likely the cause. My mother with Alzheimer's had hallucinations when given too much painkilling medication. I just went along with it which made it easier for both of us. She often saw a cat on the bed (she loved cats) so this was a benevolent hallucination.

https://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health/eye-conditions/charles-bonnet-syndrome-cbs
 

Splashing About

Registered User
Oct 20, 2019
434
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@nita thats a really interesting article. My mum can still see (I can test this waving a hand in front of her eyes). She often says she cannot see and I recognise this is when she stares unfocused and oblivious to anything in front of her face. We have concluded that this is when her brain has stopped computing what her eyeballs have shown. The hallucinations maybe fill the gaps for her.