Has anyone ever come across this before. Over the last week anytime my mum goes into the bathroom, she is talking to her reflection in the mirror. Initially this was not a problem but now she gets quite annoyed and tells the reflection to go away,if I am in the bathroom, she tells my reflection to go away also, I don't think she recognises the person as herself, the result being that I have had to cover the mirror with paper in two of the bathrooms. Does anyone recognise this symptom.
Bathroom mirror, causing distress.
- Thread starter Ashburton
- Start date
Hi Ashburton,
Mirrors have popped up on a number of threads in the past. You might want to look at a few of the discussions:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=5959&page=2&highlight=mirror
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=270&highlight=mirror
Take care,
Sandy
Mirrors have popped up on a number of threads in the past. You might want to look at a few of the discussions:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=5959&page=2&highlight=mirror
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=270&highlight=mirror
Take care,
Sandy
Thanks Sandy, should have done a search, but wow, familiar stories.As said with my mum things started off ok with the people in the mirror, but now,while it is not agressive as such, she obviously is not comfortable with it. Actually she blames me for bringing them in, while not a probem at home now as I have covered up mirrors, it can be a problem when she goes to the toilet when we are out.
Yup been there too.
In fact it got so bad that we would dread being anywhere there were reflections as Dad would yell at the reflections at the top of his voice no matter where we were.
You never realise how much we are surrounded by reflections...walking past car windows you get reflections, walking past shops you get reflections, staying in hotels we'd have to cover the mirrors, at the hospital we had to drape a sheet over the full size mirror in the toilet...
I think part of the problem was because his reflection always looked angry or confused...so he assumed it was a 'bad man' (his words).
Now tho, I'm not sure he knows its him again, but he doesn't seem as concerned but he definetly is always curious about that other man.
Something that has helped for us, is to touch Dad on the face while he is looking at the reflection and by doing so this shows him it is his reflection i think, in that he feels the touch on the nose and sees the reflection getting touched on the nose at the same time...What always worked for me was to explain to Dad that he was just seeing a reflection...in a very calm voice, not making it sound like he was stupid or crazy...just saying to him 'Remember Dad that is your reflection, remember you have trouble recognising reflections now, see its a reflection because there am I (point to my nose so my reflection does too) and thats your reflection (touch him on the nose)'. I didn't work if I just pointed to the reflection, it only worked if I touched him and said it.
Don't know if that will work for you...but you never know...
Otherwise the trick is to get quick at anticipating reflections that they might see and distracting them from it before they noticed it.
Good luck.
In fact it got so bad that we would dread being anywhere there were reflections as Dad would yell at the reflections at the top of his voice no matter where we were.
You never realise how much we are surrounded by reflections...walking past car windows you get reflections, walking past shops you get reflections, staying in hotels we'd have to cover the mirrors, at the hospital we had to drape a sheet over the full size mirror in the toilet...
I think part of the problem was because his reflection always looked angry or confused...so he assumed it was a 'bad man' (his words).
Now tho, I'm not sure he knows its him again, but he doesn't seem as concerned but he definetly is always curious about that other man.
Something that has helped for us, is to touch Dad on the face while he is looking at the reflection and by doing so this shows him it is his reflection i think, in that he feels the touch on the nose and sees the reflection getting touched on the nose at the same time...What always worked for me was to explain to Dad that he was just seeing a reflection...in a very calm voice, not making it sound like he was stupid or crazy...just saying to him 'Remember Dad that is your reflection, remember you have trouble recognising reflections now, see its a reflection because there am I (point to my nose so my reflection does too) and thats your reflection (touch him on the nose)'. I didn't work if I just pointed to the reflection, it only worked if I touched him and said it.
Don't know if that will work for you...but you never know...
Otherwise the trick is to get quick at anticipating reflections that they might see and distracting them from it before they noticed it.
Good luck.
Jean spends most of her waking hours talking to her reflection in any shiny object in the house.
I covered the mirrors up sometime ago and that led to her talking to her hands and hitting one hand with the other, very violently.
She seems to be much more settled now the mirrors are uncovered and laughs, waves, offers food, drinki and talks to the person she sees in there.
All quite harmless at the moment.
I covered the mirrors up sometime ago and that led to her talking to her hands and hitting one hand with the other, very violently.
She seems to be much more settled now the mirrors are uncovered and laughs, waves, offers food, drinki and talks to the person she sees in there.
All quite harmless at the moment.
Some months ago now Lionel suddenly said "I wonder what I look like now?"
Unfortunately he does not seem to focus, or maybe interpret what it is he is looking at.
Glad Jean is happierwith that aspect of things. Take care now,
Unfortunately he does not seem to focus, or maybe interpret what it is he is looking at.
Glad Jean is happierwith that aspect of things. Take care now,
Mirrors
Yes, come across this with Mum. She waves to the person in the mirror or looks very intently at the person (but she does not recognise herself)she finds it fascinating. It does not upset her so I leave her be with it, just looking sometimes.
The strangest thing is though when I stand behind her and look with her I think she might recognise me. How odd!
Yes, come across this with Mum. She waves to the person in the mirror or looks very intently at the person (but she does not recognise herself)she finds it fascinating. It does not upset her so I leave her be with it, just looking sometimes.
The strangest thing is though when I stand behind her and look with her I think she might recognise me. How odd!
Apologies, posted on wrong thread, way too many windows open 
Please ignore
Hi Asburton,
I posted about this a little while back. Dad had a lot of hallucinations particularly with mirrors. I know in one of dads residential homes they removed all mirrors as many residents found the reflection or what hey were seeing upsetting.
This factsheet may also be helpful:
Please ignore
Hi Asburton,
I posted about this a little while back. Dad had a lot of hallucinations particularly with mirrors. I know in one of dads residential homes they removed all mirrors as many residents found the reflection or what hey were seeing upsetting.
This factsheet may also be helpful:
Last edited:
Oh what a shame, I believe its that they just don't recognise themselves, we continually go through our picture books of photos with Auntie, she just doesn't recognise herself in many of them, but instantly knows herself in much older family photos, she is obviously remembering herself how she used to be, she will often argue 'don't be daft thats not me in that photo - nothing like me' So very sad. But luckily mirrors have never been a problem through any of our experiences.
Starshine x
Starshine x
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