When the people on the mirror become a problem.

[Ephraim]

I recently posted a message asking for advice about people with Alzheimer's becoming preoccupied with the 'people in mirrors'. I received positive and helpful comments from all who responded and was most grateful for this.
May I offer a little advice based on my experience? Should the person you care for become angry at the people in mirrors, or begin to threaten them, or become very afraid of them, then it is time to contact their GP or someone at their Memory Clinic for support. There are treatments which can help the person who sees these strangers as unfriendly or intrusive. Their 'real presence' can lead to fear, paranoia and unpleasant defensive behaviours.
Some have told me that their family members are happy to chat to their reflection all day and that is just fine if they are happy.
I realise now that I sought advice on this forum as I felt things were getting out of hand with my father. I have since got medical intervention which seems to be helping. I therefore thought I should share my experience as I am now medically enlightened.

 

[fredsnail]

Thanks for posting that - I'm sure that it will be useful for people.

 

[Haylett]

Thanks for that Ephraim. Mum sometimes knows that the reflection is hers, sometimes the reflection is "that lady". TL is generally friendly and smiling - but you never know whether/when she might become an intruder! Your advice is very helpful.

 

[Nanak]

Hi Ephraim
That is interesting I know there are a lot of sufferers who are frightened of the people they see in the mirror.
Luckily my Mum was quite happy to chat to her reflection telling that person about us (her children). I often wondered who she saw, was it her reflection that she didn't recognise? A male or female? She was never frightened but she used to tell us there was a man (not my stepfather) in the bathroom having a shower so we couldn't go in
Nanak
missing what has gone and scared of what is to come

 

[chucky]

My dad will happily talk to the mirror all day as he thinks he's seeing his dad. The amazing thing is he can actually have a conversation with him yet he cant string a sentence when face to face. Another thing is my dad hasnt a clue who i am, hes never mentioned my name and if you ask him if he has a daughter he says no. yet one day when passing a mirror he turned round to me and said, im her daddy, pointing to my reflection.

 

[Ciderboy]

I've recently fitted some new wardrobes in my parent's house with mirror doors.

Shortly after I fitted them dad started to go on & on about the 'other people' in their house.

It was only a couple of weeks later when I actually came across him talking to the mirrored doors that I realised what he was talking about.

At the moment it's not a problem but I've warned my mum that we may need to replace the doors in the future - thankfully they're from Ikea so should be easy enough to change.

 

[nmintueo]

Not advice, but another twist on reflections, from a recent article about prisoners with dementia, and the prisoners caring for them:

Life, With Dementia
Published: February 25, 2012

... When Mr. Cruz spies his own reflection, he often believes it is his brother Sergio. To keep him from getting agitated, his cell mirror has been covered with tape. But now when he looks into a toilet, he calls: “Hey, my brother, he’s down there. I can’t get him out.”

Mr. Montgomery said he tries to reassure Mr. Cruz, but if Mr. Cruz is locked in his cell, Mr. Montgomery — still a prisoner, after all — cannot enter even if he is allowed out of his own cell. He will call to Mr. Cruz through a tiny window in the thick metal door. “All I can do is say, ‘Cruz, come here, come here, come here,’ but he’ll stand there,” staring helplessly into the toilet and agonizing. “ ‘See, see, look, see.’ ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/health/dealing-with-dementia-among-aging-criminals.html

A previous thread here on this topic:
Mirrors
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?7615-Mirrors

 

[Pheath]

My dad went through a period of many months talking to the mirror, at first it was in a friendly and harmless way but later hw got incredibly angry and paranoid, resulting in him knocking furniture over in distress when looking at his image. In the end we took all the mirrors down in the house, he still talks to himself a fair bit but it's never been as bad as when it was to the mirror.

Also an interesting observation - when we showed him his face in a small hand-held mirror he immediately knew it was him and there was no reaction, he just seemed to go 'funny' with larger mirrors - especially embarrassing when we went to shops!

Pam

 

[mrs pepperpot]

That so interesting and something i have never come across before, forwarned is forarmed as they say.