Dealing with hallucinations

Carer 1960

New member
Nov 18, 2019
1
0
My mother has had vascular dementia for over 3 years now and has a number of care packages in place that are enabling her to stay at home. Recently she has been saying that overnight, people are coming into the house, they have a key, and sleeping in the other bedrooms, then making a mess. This is distressing her and I find it difficult to know how to support this behaviour. I don't want to argue with her and say it's her illness but she keeps talking about it even when we are discussing other things.
 

Splashing About

Registered User
Oct 20, 2019
434
0
Someone told me that hallucinations are caused when the brain cannot interpret what their eyes see. The hallucinations are a way of filling in the gaps...I.e. they access memories and all of it jumbles together to create a false event. I agree with GP visit to discuss this but in the meantime is it worth giving her clues both audibly and visually that steer away from anything that she hallucinates about. My mum has some very negative hallucinations and some better ones involving children who’ve come to visit.

I’m grasping at straws here really ....but we do try and sow seeds in mum’s head to redirect her thoughts. Sometimes I think it is successful but many times nothing helps sorry.
 

nellbelles

Volunteer Host
Nov 6, 2008
9,842
0
leicester
Hello @Carer 1960 and a warm welcome to DTP
Has your Mum a CPN? It is possible a change in medication could help,
I hope you can find a way to calm your Mum it must be very distressing for her.
Now you have found the forum I hope you will continue to post for support it is a helpful and supportive forum