My husband has Parkinson's and associated dementia which has been fairly manageable, but in the last 2 weeks he has become convinced he is not in his own home. Although he recognises everything in our home he says it is a 'carbon copy' and he wants to go home. He spends his days going round the house collecting things up to take with us when we go home. No amount of reasoning or talking about the garden, neighbours etc convinces him. He just says it doesn't feel right. My son lives with us and we have tried taking Keith out and bringing him back. He settles for a while, but then starts moving things again. Our GP has visited and carried out blood tests, but these seem clear. This is all pretty exhausting as I have to try to watch him all the time in case he picks up anything unsafe, eg razors which he puts in his pocket.
I realise there is probably nothing I can say to him to make him understand, but would be interested in other people's experiences.
Malview
Hi!
My dad has dementia with lewy bodies which is symptoms of alzheimers and parkinsons.
I am aware that people with parkinsons can develop dementia but not all people.
There is one common thing that when dementia affects the brain the logic number facts reason etc gets affected first. The side of the brain that control emotions and feelings stays intact longer.
So if the memories have been affected logically everything will be understood through the emotional side. Imagine trying to understand a daily event you can't remember and having to use your emotions to make sense.
Different diagnosises affect people differently. If your husbands memory was in his earlier years.. (look at the bookcase senator on society factsheets). He might be right in saying that's not your house..did you move before..did he live somewhere else and that's the era his memory is at??
The stage to where the disease has affected his brain you might have had different decor! Or is his memory part damaged to when he was a young lad?..His home would be his mum and dads.
It must be so emotional being the body of a grown adult in 2015 and your memory in your younger years and trying to understand with your emotions.
Maybe chatting about possessions or observing like you are the things he packs or talks about might give you more clues...like how his previous home would've looked and what his favourite room was..take ideas from that if it comforts him.
These are all just suggestions bit worth looking at and like everyone on tp thought it's worth taking 5 mins to type it.
Best wishes
All that is possible.
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