Hello I’m concerned for my uncle he’s 77 and lives alone. , He seems to think we are doing things to him like if his heating stops working he thinks the family are damaged it, and makes up stories that he has been told this. He seems to think his sofa and carpe has been damaged by throwing water on it although there is no evidence of this. He then goes slandering the family name telling outsiders we are breaking in his house but no one is. I’m the only family member that sees him as no one will go near him. Anyone know what could be happening I have said he needs professional help but Denys anything is wrong. He also has an imaginary girlfriend who thinks that loves him.
Elderly uncle
- Thread starter Jolou1980
- Start date
Oh boy, my mum had an imaginary husband for a while. She had been widowed for 30 years, but constantly felt that she must still be married. It started off that she thought her husband was still alive, but had left her, then she developed an imaginary husband. Later when she moved into her care home she thought for a while that one of the other residents was her husband. Eventually she made friends with other people in the care home and this delusion passed.
Made up stories are a classic symptom of dementia, called confabulations. They are basically false memories concocted by the subconscious brain to fill in the gaps where real memories are missing. The person with dementia thinks that they are real memories and will not be persuaded that they are not. They are sure these stories are true (however unlikely) because they "remember" it
Does your dad have a diagnosis of dementia? If not, contact his GP and try and get him to the memory clinic. There is not a lot can be done about confabulations, but there is usually a small grain of truth hidden away in them and Im wondering whether your dads confabulations are hiding the truth that he is lonely
Made up stories are a classic symptom of dementia, called confabulations. They are basically false memories concocted by the subconscious brain to fill in the gaps where real memories are missing. The person with dementia thinks that they are real memories and will not be persuaded that they are not. They are sure these stories are true (however unlikely) because they "remember" it
Does your dad have a diagnosis of dementia? If not, contact his GP and try and get him to the memory clinic. There is not a lot can be done about confabulations, but there is usually a small grain of truth hidden away in them and Im wondering whether your dads confabulations are hiding the truth that he is lonely
It could be a number of things. I would start by contacting his GP with your concerns and ask them to call him in for some sort of check up or medication review.
Apart from his strange behaviour, is he coping with his day to day life e.g. looking after himself and his home, shopping and cooking, managing his finances and life admin? If he isn't then you can contact Adult Social Care with your concerns. His neighbours and friends may have some idea about how he is coping.
Apart from his strange behaviour, is he coping with his day to day life e.g. looking after himself and his home, shopping and cooking, managing his finances and life admin? If he isn't then you can contact Adult Social Care with your concerns. His neighbours and friends may have some idea about how he is coping.
Thank you for your reply, I keep saying to him he needs help but he adamantly denies he needs help and think I’m trying to harm him.
Thank you for your advice I will take this on board and contact adult social services as I’m at my wits ends with him.
He’s never had a girlfriend or wife so made e he’s missing thst connection my Nan looked after him his whole life she died a few years ago and he seems to have got worst
Thank you for replying. I admire all carers with all you put up with. He even has a name for his imaginary girlfriend
@Jolou1980 having cared for Mum, here's no way I'd contemplate getting involved with a more distant relation.
You are not responsible for him so contact social services, explain the problem and hand him over to their care.
You are not responsible for him so contact social services, explain the problem and hand him over to their care.
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