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I usually agree with my Wife but it is very difficult to agree with something that is not happening. I Sometimes feel that it is me who does not see these people. Redirection does work.
I cared for my mom for ten years after her first diagnosis of altz until I lost her. And just recently I was diagnosed with the same condition. Mom’s hallucinations along with sun downers symptoms was a challenge. What I found the most helpful was music. When she was feeling very anxious or stressed music always did the trick. I learned this trick from your channel and it was a game changer for both of us. I’ve already made a play list for my own future. So thank you. Your wonderful.
My lord my lord. I’m going to pray for you tonight. Also be proactive with everything. Also see about changing your diet the best doctor great caregivers everything.
Being my mom's caregiver since August 2022, I can say that her hallucinations are the most difficult phenomenon to manage! When a person w/dementia has a hallucination, there is NOTHING the caregiver can do to convince them otherwise. Dementia is the worst on every level for everyone involved! I have aged more in the past 2 yrs than I have in the past 45, NON-STOP stress :(
I hear you about aging. My husband has been dealing with dementia for 9 years and it isn't getting easier. I get accused of having a boyfriend and get yelled at for what I feel is not necessary. Last night I had to give him an injection that I've been doing for years. Well I guess he didn't like the way I approached him or say I have to give you your injection and I got yelled at and he swore at me which never happened when he was well. I'm 75 and I look in the mirror and think boy you look like you are 90. My hair has thinned from stress and I just want to walk away and never come back sometimes. I hope you can find something to help you feel calmer. I turn to making cards for friends and family. My mind gets a rest from my real life and I can be relaxed. I don't knit or crochet which I know some people fine relaxing. For me it hurts as I'm watching the man I love fad away and know there is nothing I can do. I wish you the best and that you can get a break from your situation once in awhile.
@@wendymontani2544 thankyou for such a personal and compassionate note, thankyou very much. I am so sorry that you're going through this and it makes me angry that thus far, science has stalled with treatments and etc. I have such empathy for you watching your husband deteriorate and change. Sometimes my mom is nothing like her former self and then at other times; she is. Living w/dementia is living on pins and needles; you never know what will happen next. The first time my mom didn't know who I was was devastating (March 2023) ... now, I better manage my own emotions as it happens daily. Getting time away is so important for us, the caregivers and yet, often it is very difficult to find solitude. If you ever feel that you wanna reach out and vent, I could give you my email. Sometimes it is oddly comforting to know that you're not alone in this terrible situation; That is another thing which is difficult; caregiving for a person with dementia is very ISOLATING!
@@wendymontani2544 Dear Wendy, I am you in a male body! My wife and I are also in our mid 70's and have been together since '73. Everything that you describe is me and my LO also used to be very violent, which is under control with medication. You Take Care 🤗
My wife hallucinates most of the day. Often times the "people" agitate her so bad that she will refuse to eat, go to bed or other things. I find that if I yell at her hallucinations, with a hidden "to do task" for her it helps. I will yell "Will you jerks just leave her alone. She needs to eat. She did not eat her lunch because of you jerks and she needs to eat her dinner!" or "Will you jerks get out of the bedroom, it is very late and she is tired and needs to go to bed!" I will match the volume and anger of my voice to match her mood. It really seems to help.
I do the same thing, and yes, it is a big help! I also tell him that they don't talk to me, only him, and I cannot hear what they say to him, but I can hear his side of the conversations. These are people in the tv talking to him, and telling him what to do every day.The tv is off now most of the time now, which is a big change. People also talk to him through the radio.
He spends most of the day halliucinating, experiencing delusions, or having episodes of paranoia. Diagnosis of vascular dementia. Sometimes wonder if it is Lewy Body. Rapid deterioration.
@@mysixcentsworth5753 I like how you tell him that you can not hear what they say. I will have to try that! Another benefit is: this lets her know that I am on her side. Often times she will smile at me. It's a small win, but a win!
Am I the only caregiver who often feels the need to check in with myself to make sure I’m not the one that has dementia or Alzheimer’s? Sometimes, the mental load and unique circumstances make me question my own mental clarity.
@@amymasi9110 i've created a strain of fungi that has had some very good results in the neurological field. Of course BigPharma is blocking reserch like this. It would destroy them. I've gone rogue.
When my mom had an unknown infection and it caused her to see bugs in her room. We took her out of her room and told her we had someone cleaning the room to get rid of any bugs. This was so unlike her that we took her into ER snd she did have a serious blood infection and once treated the haucinations finally went away. It was like a miracle once the treatment kicked in!! ❤
My husband dozes off watching television. Quite often he will stare in amazement at the fireplace , when he wakes up. When I ask him what he sees, he looks at me and says I thought you were standing on the mantle! Last night, he thought he could see my eyes in the handle of a jug on the hearth. I just assure him I wouldn’t fit on the mantle or jug. He laughs .
My Nan would 'see' children in her home and sometimes she would get upset as they wouldn't go away. On more than one occasion I would find myself opening her front door and telling the children it was time to go as Nanna was getting tired. I would wVe the children off through the oven dour, close it and reassure Nan that they'd all gone now and settle myself on the sofa or make us a drink as we chatted about this and that. Nan would settle down and enjoy our time together without any mention of those pesky children 😁
My Mother is now gone but the last 15 years of her life were very hard. She suffered from vascular dementia. When she was anxious or was having hallucinations, I would tell her that my new phone allowed me to play music and I had found music from when she was young. I would play that music and she would start singing along and became very happy for a a few hours. Asking her about things and events from when she was young would also help change her mood.
Medical Speech Language Pathologist here. I've worked in inpatient, outpatient, assisted living, memory care with MANY patients with dementia and their families for the last 6 years. Finding your videos has been such a lifesaver, and I have already recommended your videos many times to others. I graduated from a top med SLP program in the U.S., but I feel like our curriculum only scratched the surface of dementia care and caregiver training. The videos have been so helpful in my professional development - THANK YOU! 🖤
I think it’s so important to realize that changes in environment or an illness can definitely bring out hallucinations in dementia. My mother had an extra kidney, and was prone to UTIs. I could tell she had a UTI because she would hallucinate! It was almost like a diagnostic tool!
My Mum's changed in behaviour and character are like a barometer in that we took use these changes to suggest something else is going on such as a UTI 🤔
When my man gets lucid again(she comes and goes), she used to get distressed that she was losing her mind with the dementia as she had seen and spoken to my father who died 3 years ago. I told her it was the silver lining in the horribleness of dementia. She was being enabled to see Dad again for a few minutes every now and then. Even if it wasn't real, it was better than looking at an old video. Just go with it and enjoy it. She now thoroughly enjoys her time with Dad, who is always her hallucination. They would have been married 70 years now. It is actually a comfort to her.
When lying in bed, Mom often complains about the "water dripping from the green light" in the smoke detector. I usually say, "Oh wow, look at that!" Then I get the step stool and try to reach it. I tell her that maintenance will come fix it. Then I talk about my brother having a better step ladder. That leads to a conversation about Home Depot! We then talk about going shopping (which she used to enjoy). She forgets about the drip. It redirects to something pleasant and lightens the mood.
My husband walks around with a small flashlight thinking it's a camera and needs to send pics of AI through the wires. He carries it everywhere. Love the comments from others about not sleeping in the middle of the night, thank you I'm not alone.
My 101 y.o. father (who is NOT suffering from dementia) had hallucinations while in hospital due to some medications. I kept telling the nurses and everyone, but they always replied, "Oh, that's normal at his age. This is dementia!" Because he is deaf now, and never answers questions correctly, that doesn't help. And he couldn't read on the lips. Hospital staff are wearing masks. It's impressive to witness all the details that even geriatric doctors didn't figure out.
My father actually has dementia, but when we first gave him his prescribed medications, he started having extreme hallucinations, so we stopped the medication. He did without for 7 years and we just developed strategies to deal with his sun downing and other symptoms. The medications sometimes help with one thing, but introduce 3 other problems instead 😐
Thank you for your videos, they have been most helpful in caring for my wife. This video was very timely, last night my wife complained about loud music coming from the neighbors. she even beat on the wall of our house to get them to turn it down. I told her I would call them in the morning and ask them to not play the music so loud. It seemed to calm her down and she went to sleep. No complaints this morning.
My mom was concerned about a little girl she saw on the nextdoor roof. She let me explain it was the chimney, or decor. When she turned away I did shut the curtain , cutting off this illusion. Many of us have mistakenly seen our loved ones in bed, but it was only wrinkled bulky covers.
Hi Dr.Natalie,great topic today, I’m a carer for my husband, he’s almost 85, & has dementia also Lewy Body. Quite often he wakes telling me there is someone in our bedroom, while we are sleeping, Or,there is someone in another part of the house, he’s always very angry, ( which drives me crazy) as it’s always between 2.30am & 4.00am I need my sleep, as he sleeps most of the day, & if we have one of these episode’s, he goes right back to sleep, while Im left, for almost an hour trying to get back to sleep!!!!!!!!
I am so surprised to find a 2:00 morning life twin. I woke up at 2:30 this morning to find all the noises I'd been hearing were hubby getting dressed to go with me to my dr. Appt. At 3:30 this afternoon. After being informed, he crawled back in bed fully dressed and went right back to sleep. I was awake until time to get up.
@ my husband does that on a regular basis, I used to get so upset,but he wants to sleep in his clothes, so be it. I’m not arguing any more at “ 2.30am” not sure if I’m mad him or the disease !!!!!!
My mother has been suffering with hallucinations for 18+ months but her Neurologist told us we needed Psychiatric care for them. We have tried 5 or 6 different psych meds with no improvement. We have an appointment with the Neurologist on the 18th and I am going to let him have it! This video describes her to a tee from visual to audible and tactile hallucinations. I am so so sad she has had to endure this for so long.
I am taking care of my Mother-in-law because she has dementia. I have found that doctors are not helpful. In fact I have had to step in and stop experimental operations, and harmful medications.
When my loved one with dementia has visual hallucinations, it's been because there's a CO2 buildup in the lungs bc my loved one also has COPD. There are deep breathing ("try to blow out candles on the other side of the room") exercises that the doctor recommended that do help.
Your video is very informative. My husband has Alzheimer’s and developed hallucinations seeing people in the yard and trees. Always taking our stuff or taunting him. He yelled and cussed at them. I tried to assure him and show that our stuff wasn’t stolen, but nothing helped. He got mad at me for not taking security seriously. Cussed at me too. After a panic attack he was referred to a psychiatrist, who gave him meds that really helped. I don’t want to over medicate him, but the situation was getting very bad. He now rarely hallucinates and is easily distracted when he does.
My mo recently started talking to people in the living room. There seems to be a lot of them. She calls them the walkers because they are all just walking around. Most of the ones she talks to are brothers and sisters that have passed. She's not bothered by them. Sometimes she is even laughing with them.
Thank you. This video is very relevant to my situation with my 94 year old aunt who I live with and care for. She experiences most of the types of hallucinations as well as illusions. Some are upsetting and others are not. She also experiences nightmares. Your video has confirmed for me a good number of the strategies I already use, are the most helpful. You have affirmed for me I am on the right path and not alone. Thank you.
How informative this is-- I didn't realize up until now there were more than 2 kinds/types of hallucinations....no pun tended but nosebleed ka na beh...
Hey Dr. Natalie. Glad I came across this post. This just happened to my husband the other night. He thought someone was in the doorway of our bedroom. It was an illusion. It turned out I had hung up my long bed robe over the door. So I moved it. Problem solved. Thx for all your great advice.😊
my mum's often distressed thinking/feeling that she is sweaty and wet, she believes her night dress is socken wet, even when it is completely dry and her skin is dry
My mom, not diagnosed with dementia but in her mid- nineties, had hallucinations periodically from UTIs'. Antibiotics resolved that in a couple of days. Some of her hallucinations she enjoyed - butterflies, birds, someone to converse with- but some of them were scary for her. I think just having me nearby was helpful. Sometimes she would ask me if the hallucinations were real. I would say no, and for her that was reassuring. She understood that just because they felt real didn't mean they weren't real. However, I can understand that some people cannot understand that what they experience as their reality, isn't real, and having their experienced dismissed could be distressing.
My mother in law most of the time thinks some one is out to get her. There is no convincing her she is safe when she gets in this mode. She also hallucinates kids animals and scratches herself. Didn’t realize that was a form of hallucination. Just thought maybe thin skin. Thank you for making me aware of this. She also has audible hallucinations. She will say “ they told me to get out or they are gonna hurt me”. Things like that. When in reality nobody is there. It is very hard to deal with.
My husband has dementia and would hear hammering and construction going on in the bathroom after we were in bed for the night. He wanted to know what they were doing and why they were there. I said I would go talk with them and ask them to stop for tonight and do the work the next day. He was fine with that. Also at another time he would tell me that he was being picked up shortly in the middle of the night to go to work in the clinic (he had been a doctor); so he would get dressed to leave. I would begin to ask him where the clinic was and what work he would do, but to remember that he needed to have a license to practice. The conversation usually helped to redirect him.
My mother wakes up with my dad, deceased, every morning. It only bothers her that he isn't there after all. She tells me about people who wake her up at night, but they are threatening. Even a man standing at the foot of her bed. She asked him why he was there. He didn't answer. Then apparently he went away. It didn't frighten her. It would have scared me to death. She denies that she has dementia.
Thanks for all your info over these times. Your channel is a treasure trove. I found that giving my mum-in-law lemon balm tea helped calm her hallucinations. But, it only worked at the beginning. Eventually we had to get haloperidol for her. However, since she has been in her care home, she has been taken off the haloperidol and seems to be hallucination-free. She still has some issues with misperception - seeing gratings in the road or threshold carpets floating up and becoming an obstacle. I think she suffers less with hallucinations because they keep the residents active and engaged pretty much all day long. No time for her to be staring off into space. She sleeps well because of the activities as well.
Okay so my mom's neurologist said that what she is experiencing sounds more like delusions than hallucinations. I was so overwhelmed with information at the time I didn't ask for more clarification. Can vascular dimentia cause delusions also or just hallucinations? She has also had severe depression most if her life so if it's not the dimentia I'm wondering if it's that taking on new symptoms.
My mom has vascular dementia and she has delusions that she is still at her job as a hospital administrator. She sees the other residents in Memory Care as either her patients or co-workers. It gives her a sense of purpose but can sometimes get her into trouble when others aren’t seeing the situation as she does!
My mom has vascular dementia (and Alzheimer’s). She has delusions. She is having so much trouble making sense of her world so her mind invents wild stories. They are more like traumatic false memories. She is convinced they are real and I have to play along or she gets angry with me.
My Parkinson’s person sees two children with blond hair in his rooms. The doc and I have explained they are not there, but it didn’t convince him. After several months I asked if a keep out sign might help. He seemed interested so I printed a “no kids allowed in these rooms. You will be kicked out if you come in”. It seemed helpful for a while. The signs now are down. The kids still come but they are not bothersome per my person.
One of my 85 year old mother-in-law’s hallucinations is that the night carers sneak their boyfriends in at night. It’s got so bad that she will shout at them to leave when they come and threatens to call the police. We have cameras all over the house and I reassure that if they were bringing their boyfriends in we would have the evidence on camera but this makes her even angrier as it confirms that I don’t believe her. None of the 4 ‘R’s work with this particular hallucinations (the non-existent dog that keeps barking hallucination is easier to deal with). How do I reassure her without agreeing that it’s happening? I’ve had to cancel the night carers as we can’t cope with the distress she’s causing every day all day with these accusations. Does anyone have a strategy for this type of hallucination?
My mom is up banging on the door at 3am to get out and catch her bus home - or someone is there to pick her up - and if you try to redirect her, she’ll cuss you out, call you a stupid ass, and more insulting things, then goes back to shouting “Open the door! Open the door!” It’s why we have deadbolts. 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️
@ I’ve gotta get up and work at 8am (fortunately, I have a remote job)….but I’m often exhausted, developing insomnia, and I’m so tired of all this after 3-1/2 years with very little help from my older sister (lifelong conflict between her and my mother… too much alike = clashes). My goal is to get her in care so I can go back to my own home…but I also struggle with feeling I would be abandoning her….🤦🏾♀️
When my husband awakes from a nap or a doze, he often has his fingers pinched together, as if he’s grasping something. Then he starts looking at his hands, like he thinks he was holding onto something?
My mom has macular degeneration and was diagnosed with Charles Bonnet syndrome.... Hallucinations due to the lack of sight. Look it up for information and details.
@@kprice-wc1udThank you for sharing. My dad has dementia and has very low vision. He is 84 and started having hallucinations about a couple of months ago. He has had poor vision for 24 years. I have read about Charles Bonnet Syndrome. The hallucinations are upsetting him, sometimes he sees his brother who passed away 5 years ago.
My dad was telling me things about his brothers not being dead, but I only figured out after he died and I had time to process it, that he was seeing them. So my advice is the person might not tell you directly they are seeing things but look for strange comments.
I live with my 90yr mother who was diagnosed with primary dementia a month ago. Her short and long memory are very good, she is functional (cooking, cleaning, dressing etc) but she has two issues. 1st She failed to the clock test (she drew it correctly but failed a bit with the hands) and 2nd lately she has illusions that there are other people living in our home. She does not see people but she thinks or feel it. When asked her for more details I found out that she confuses me with another girl who looks like me but she is younger. She remembers all the conversations but she thinks that she had them with the "other girl. She is put on quepin a fea days now and seems a lot better. Is there any chance that this might be psychiatric and not dementia??
Hello dr. Natali. My mum always states that women or men were in her house days before and stole her glasses (or whatever she hides from time to time, every single day, which drives me crazy however I understand and tell her that I have sued those people. Needless to say, this happens often during the day 😞): is this the case for hallucinations or allusions? Thank you for everything ❤️
My mom will ask me when the parents of "those kids" are going to come pick them up, or complain they are so noisy and she couldn't sleep. She will contort herself on the bed lie she is trying to find room on the bed when there is no one but her on it. If I can, I have her come to a different room, then tell her that the children have been picked up. That will last for a few hours.
Dr. Natalie, My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 10 years ago and now is having pain in his forehead. Can people have more than one type of dementia? Maybe FTD.
My mom is having varying degrees of seeing a man who assista her and my dad (its my dad!). Also stories of things that didn't happen. The brain is so layered..made me think if they are accessing a part of their subconscious like in dreams?😮
Huh... so what was that, 50 seconds on caused, and then straight to "talk to your doctor". Once all of the tests come back negative (like many do), the only 2 options left are 1. Blame the disease (par for the course), or 2. Admit that the duffle bag full of meds they're on is probably the driving factor. We all know, at least those of us who've fired multiple care teams, that no doctor is going to admit their merry-go-round of meds is to blame. Of course, they will certainly threaten us with APS for seeking out other providers who are willing to start un-medicating or loved ones. It sure would be nice to see a "clinical expert" stand up in a meaningful way to advocate for patients and families.
My husband frequently asks where the people are who were here. He has never mentioned actually seeing these people so I assumed he is just getting times mixed up, thinking of when he was younger and his family was around. He does not get ypset when I tell him we are the only ones here.
My husband often asks where people went too. He asks why they didn't say goodbye when they left. He has trouble believing it is just the two of us in the house. I don't think he is getting mixed up and he doesn't seem bothered by these people, so I just tell him I didn't see them. However, he was having trouble with understanding that our house is our house. That often got him agitated. We now have him on Seroquel and the hallucinations and the disorientation has been greatly improved.
re-directing doesn't work for my mom...or it takes a many,many attempts to redirect, it is very tiresome and annoying...i think her big pharma meds are what's doing this...
@@annegabels6680 Redirecting doesn't work for my husband either.. it makes him much more agitated and angry because he doesn't think I'm listening, don't believe him, or he thinks I believe he is crazy. He is very obsessed with different things over a period of days and nothing distracts him.
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careblazers.com/for-families
I usually agree with my Wife but it is very difficult to agree with something that is not happening. I Sometimes feel that it is me who does not see these people. Redirection does work.
@@billcarpenter3772 One day it will and you may miss it. It's tough for sure.
I cared for my mom for ten years after her first diagnosis of altz until I lost her. And
just recently I was diagnosed with the same condition. Mom’s hallucinations along with sun downers symptoms was a challenge. What I found the most helpful was music. When she was feeling very anxious or stressed music always did the trick. I learned this trick from your channel and it was a game changer for both of us. I’ve already made a play list for my own future. So thank you. Your wonderful.
My lord my lord. I’m going to pray for you tonight. Also be proactive with everything. Also see about changing your diet the best doctor great caregivers everything.
Being my mom's caregiver since August 2022, I can say that her hallucinations are the most difficult phenomenon to manage! When a person w/dementia has a hallucination, there is NOTHING the caregiver can do to convince them otherwise.
Dementia is the worst on every level for everyone involved!
I have aged more in the past 2 yrs than I have in the past 45, NON-STOP stress :(
I hear you about aging. My husband has been dealing with dementia for 9 years and it isn't getting easier. I get accused of having a boyfriend and get yelled at for what I feel is not necessary. Last night I had to give him an injection that I've been doing for years. Well I guess he didn't like the way I approached him or say I have to give you your injection and I got yelled at and he swore at me which never happened when he was well. I'm 75 and I look in the mirror and think boy you look like you are 90. My hair has thinned from stress and I just want to walk away and never come back sometimes. I hope you can find something to help you feel calmer. I turn to making cards for friends and family. My mind gets a rest from my real life and I can be relaxed. I don't knit or crochet which I know some people fine relaxing. For me it hurts as I'm watching the man I love fad away and know there is nothing I can do. I wish you the best and that you can get a break from your situation once in awhile.
@@wendymontani2544 thankyou for such a personal and compassionate note, thankyou very much.
I am so sorry that you're going through this and it makes me angry that thus far, science has stalled with treatments and etc.
I have such empathy for you watching your husband deteriorate and change. Sometimes my mom is nothing like her former self and then at other times; she is. Living w/dementia is living on pins and needles; you never know what will happen next.
The first time my mom didn't know who I was was devastating (March 2023) ... now, I better manage my own emotions as it happens daily.
Getting time away is so important for us, the caregivers and yet, often it is very difficult to find solitude.
If you ever feel that you wanna reach out and vent, I could give you my email. Sometimes it is oddly comforting to know that you're not alone in this terrible situation; That is another thing which is difficult; caregiving for a person with dementia is very ISOLATING!
@@wendymontani2544 Dear Wendy, I am you in a male body! My wife and I are also in our mid 70's and have been together since '73. Everything that you describe is me and my LO also used to be very violent, which is under control with medication.
You Take Care 🤗
My wife hallucinates most of the day. Often times the "people" agitate her so bad that she will refuse to eat, go to bed or other things. I find that if I yell at her hallucinations, with a hidden "to do task" for her it helps. I will yell "Will you jerks just leave her alone. She needs to eat. She did not eat her lunch because of you jerks and she needs to eat her dinner!" or "Will you jerks get out of the bedroom, it is very late and she is tired and needs to go to bed!" I will match the volume and anger of my voice to match her mood. It really seems to help.
I do the same thing, and yes, it is a big help! I also tell him that they don't talk to me, only him, and I cannot hear what they say to him, but I can hear his side of the conversations. These are people in the tv talking to him, and telling him what to do every day.The tv is off now most of the time now, which is a big change. People also talk to him through the radio.
He spends most of the day halliucinating, experiencing delusions, or having episodes of paranoia. Diagnosis of vascular dementia. Sometimes wonder if it is Lewy Body. Rapid deterioration.
That is so sweet of you. ❤
@@mysixcentsworth5753 I like how you tell him that you can not hear what they say. I will have to try that! Another benefit is: this lets her know that I am on her side. Often times she will smile at me. It's a small win, but a win!
I have had similar experiences with my mom. IAnd would also do as you did. It does help break their train of thought and solve the problem.
Am I the only caregiver who often feels the need to check in with myself to make sure I’m not the one that has dementia or Alzheimer’s? Sometimes, the mental load and unique circumstances make me question my own mental clarity.
Same. I’m always checking myself, especially if I’ve misplaced something.
@@amymasi9110 i've created a strain of fungi that has had some very good results in the neurological field. Of course BigPharma is blocking reserch like this. It would destroy them. I've gone rogue.
Totally understand 🙏❣️🙏
Yip
Definitely. Glad I am not the only one... Then it must mean we are just fine
When my mom had an unknown infection and it caused her to see bugs in her room. We took her out of her room and told her we had someone cleaning the room to get rid of any bugs.
This was so unlike her that we took her into ER snd she did have a serious blood infection and once treated the haucinations finally went away. It was like a miracle once the treatment kicked in!! ❤
My husband dozes off watching television. Quite often he will stare in amazement at the fireplace , when he wakes up. When I ask him what he sees, he looks at me and says I thought you were standing on the mantle! Last night, he thought he could see my eyes in the handle of a jug on the hearth. I just assure him I wouldn’t fit on the mantle or jug. He laughs .
My Nan would 'see' children in her home and sometimes she would get upset as they wouldn't go away. On more than one occasion I would find myself opening her front door and telling the children it was time to go as Nanna was getting tired. I would wVe the children off through the oven dour, close it and reassure Nan that they'd all gone now and settle myself on the sofa or make us a drink as we chatted about this and that. Nan would settle down and enjoy our time together without any mention of those pesky children 😁
My Mother is now gone but the last 15 years of her life were very hard. She suffered from vascular dementia. When she was anxious or was having hallucinations, I would tell her that my new phone allowed me to play music and I had found music from when she was young. I would play that music and she would start singing along and became very happy for a a few hours. Asking her about things and events from when she was young would also help change her mood.
Medical Speech Language Pathologist here. I've worked in inpatient, outpatient, assisted living, memory care with MANY patients with dementia and their families for the last 6 years. Finding your videos has been such a lifesaver, and I have already recommended your videos many times to others. I graduated from a top med SLP program in the U.S., but I feel like our curriculum only scratched the surface of dementia care and caregiver training. The videos have been so helpful in my professional development - THANK YOU! 🖤
I think it’s so important to realize that changes in environment or an illness can definitely bring out hallucinations in dementia. My mother had an extra kidney, and was prone to UTIs. I could tell she had a UTI because she would hallucinate! It was almost like a diagnostic tool!
Try Utiva or D-Mannose supplements that help with UTI's.
Same case for my father!!!
My Mum's changed in behaviour and character are like a barometer in that we took use these changes to suggest something else is going on such as a UTI 🤔
When my man gets lucid again(she comes and goes), she used to get distressed that she was losing her mind with the dementia as she had seen and spoken to my father who died 3 years ago. I told her it was the silver lining in the horribleness of dementia. She was being enabled to see Dad again for a few minutes every now and then. Even if it wasn't real, it was better than looking at an old video. Just go with it and enjoy it. She now thoroughly enjoys her time with Dad, who is always her hallucination. They would have been married 70 years now. It is actually a comfort to her.
When lying in bed, Mom often complains about the "water dripping from the green light" in the smoke detector. I usually say, "Oh wow, look at that!" Then I get the step stool and try to reach it. I tell her that maintenance will come fix it. Then I talk about my brother having a better step ladder. That leads to a conversation about Home Depot! We then talk about going shopping (which she used to enjoy). She forgets about the drip. It redirects to something pleasant and lightens the mood.
@kathiwood363 brilliant and thoughtful
My husband walks around with a small flashlight thinking it's a camera and needs to send pics of AI through the wires. He carries it everywhere. Love the comments from others about not sleeping in the middle of the night, thank you I'm not alone.
My 101 y.o. father (who is NOT suffering from dementia) had hallucinations while in hospital due to some medications. I kept telling the nurses and everyone, but they always replied, "Oh, that's normal at his age. This is dementia!"
Because he is deaf now, and never answers questions correctly, that doesn't help. And he couldn't read on the lips. Hospital staff are wearing masks. It's impressive to witness all the details that even geriatric doctors didn't figure out.
My father actually has dementia, but when we first gave him his prescribed medications, he started having extreme hallucinations, so we stopped the medication. He did without for 7 years and we just developed strategies to deal with his sun downing and other symptoms. The medications sometimes help with one thing, but introduce 3 other problems instead 😐
@s.elh.3281 True! And each patient is different on top of that.
@@s.elh.3281 🇨🇦🌬🍀🩵
Thank you for your videos, they have been most helpful in caring for my wife.
This video was very timely, last night my wife complained about loud music coming from the neighbors. she even beat on the wall of our house to get them to turn it down.
I told her I would call them in the morning and ask them to not play the music so loud. It seemed to calm her down and she went to sleep. No complaints this morning.
My mom was concerned about a little girl she saw on the nextdoor roof. She let me explain it was the chimney, or decor. When she turned away I did shut the curtain , cutting off this illusion.
Many of us have mistakenly seen our loved ones in bed, but it was only wrinkled bulky covers.
I'm so grateful for you and all those you are helping. You've got a God given gift
Sending love💖
Hi Dr.Natalie,great topic today, I’m a carer for my husband, he’s almost 85, & has dementia also Lewy Body. Quite often he wakes telling me there is someone in our bedroom, while we are sleeping, Or,there is someone in another part of the house, he’s always very angry, ( which drives me crazy) as it’s always between 2.30am & 4.00am I need my sleep, as he sleeps most of the day, & if we have one of these episode’s, he goes right back to sleep, while Im left, for almost an hour trying to get back to sleep!!!!!!!!
😊
Kxk
I am so surprised to find a 2:00 morning life twin. I woke up at 2:30 this morning to find all the noises I'd been hearing were hubby getting dressed to go with me to my dr. Appt. At 3:30 this afternoon. After being informed, he crawled back in bed fully dressed and went right back to sleep. I was awake until time to get up.
@ my husband does that on a regular basis, I used to get so upset,but he wants to sleep in his clothes, so be it. I’m not arguing any more at “ 2.30am” not sure if I’m mad him or the disease !!!!!!
How about taking a nap during the day whilst the person whom you are caring for is asleep too? I find this helpful…
My mother has been suffering with hallucinations for 18+ months but her Neurologist told us we needed Psychiatric care for them. We have tried 5 or 6 different psych meds with no improvement. We have an appointment with the Neurologist on the 18th and I am going to let him have it! This video describes her to a tee from visual to audible and tactile hallucinations. I am so so sad she has had to endure this for so long.
I am taking care of my Mother-in-law because she has dementia. I have found that doctors are not helpful. In fact I have had to step in and stop experimental operations, and harmful medications.
When my loved one with dementia has visual hallucinations, it's been because there's a CO2 buildup in the lungs bc my loved one also has COPD. There are deep breathing ("try to blow out candles on the other side of the room") exercises that the doctor recommended that do help.
Your video is very informative. My husband has Alzheimer’s and developed hallucinations seeing people in the yard and trees. Always taking our stuff or taunting him. He yelled and cussed at them. I tried to assure him and show that our stuff wasn’t stolen, but nothing helped. He got mad at me for not taking security seriously. Cussed at me too. After a panic attack he was referred to a psychiatrist, who gave him meds that really helped. I don’t want to over medicate him, but the situation was getting very bad. He now rarely hallucinates and is easily distracted when he does.
My mo recently started talking to people in the living room. There seems to be a lot of them. She calls them the walkers because they are all just walking around. Most of the ones she talks to are brothers and sisters that have passed. She's not bothered by them. Sometimes she is even laughing with them.
Thank you. This video is very relevant to my situation with my 94 year old aunt who I live with and care for. She experiences most of the types of hallucinations as well as illusions. Some are upsetting and others are not. She also experiences nightmares. Your video has confirmed for me a good number of the strategies I already use, are the most helpful. You have affirmed for me I am on the right path and not alone. Thank you.
I have a mirror to remove. It is near the front door. He tells me someone is in that area. Thanks for mentioning that.
Glad to help 💖
How informative this is-- I didn't realize up until now there were more than 2 kinds/types of hallucinations....no pun tended but nosebleed ka na beh...
You are a persevering lady with so much to share to help others. You are appreciated in any setting. Thank you💞
Thank you so much!
Hey Dr. Natalie. Glad I came across this post. This just happened to my husband the other night. He thought someone was in the doorway of our bedroom. It was an illusion. It turned out I had hung up my long bed robe over the door. So I moved it. Problem solved. Thx for all your great advice.😊
Thank you for all you do
Thank you so very much for your support
My lo has that issue with his own shadow, reflections on any surface. Everything including our microwave, tv,windows picture frame, mirror are covered
my mum's often distressed thinking/feeling that she is sweaty and wet, she believes her night dress is socken wet, even when it is completely dry and her skin is dry
Thank you for all the information you give to our families. My mom has advanced Dementia but still has the ability to read and spell. Interesting
Thank you Dr Natali this video has been so helpful
My mom, not diagnosed with dementia but in her mid- nineties, had hallucinations periodically from UTIs'. Antibiotics resolved that in a couple of days. Some of her hallucinations she enjoyed - butterflies, birds, someone to converse with- but some of them were scary for her. I think just having me nearby was helpful. Sometimes she would ask me if the hallucinations were real. I would say no, and for her that was reassuring. She understood that just because they felt real didn't mean they weren't real. However, I can understand that some people cannot understand that what they experience as their reality, isn't real, and having their experienced dismissed could be distressing.
Yes I would like to learn more about qEEG .
My mother in law most of the time thinks some one is out to get her. There is no convincing her she is safe when she gets in this mode. She also hallucinates kids animals and scratches herself. Didn’t realize that was a form of hallucination. Just thought maybe thin skin. Thank you for making me aware of this. She also has audible hallucinations. She will say “ they told me to get out or they are gonna hurt me”. Things like that. When in reality nobody is there. It is very hard to deal with.
My husband has dementia and would hear hammering and construction going on in the bathroom after we were in bed for the night. He wanted to know what they were doing and why they were there. I said I would go talk with them and ask them to stop for tonight and do the work the next day. He was fine with that. Also at another time he would tell me that he was being picked up shortly in the middle of the night to go to work in the clinic (he had been a doctor); so he would get dressed to leave. I would begin to ask him where the clinic was and what work he would do, but to remember that he needed to have a license to practice. The conversation usually helped to redirect him.
My mother wakes up with my dad, deceased, every morning. It only bothers her that he isn't there after all. She tells me about people who wake her up at night, but they are threatening. Even a man standing at the foot of her bed. She asked him why he was there. He didn't answer. Then apparently he went away. It didn't frighten her. It would have scared me to death. She denies that she has dementia.
My mother believes the neighbor is digging a tunnel under her bedroom. She screams and cussed to stop harassing her. And will call the police.
Thanks for all your info over these times. Your channel is a treasure trove.
I found that giving my mum-in-law lemon balm tea helped calm her hallucinations. But, it only worked at the beginning. Eventually we had to get haloperidol for her. However, since she has been in her care home, she has been taken off the haloperidol and seems to be hallucination-free. She still has some issues with misperception - seeing gratings in the road or threshold carpets floating up and becoming an obstacle.
I think she suffers less with hallucinations because they keep the residents active and engaged pretty much all day long. No time for her to be staring off into space. She sleeps well because of the activities as well.
excellent
My dad had a UTI well several and he seemed to have more of them during those times
Okay so my mom's neurologist said that what she is experiencing sounds more like delusions than hallucinations. I was so overwhelmed with information at the time I didn't ask for more clarification.
Can vascular dimentia cause delusions also or just hallucinations? She has also had severe depression most if her life so if it's not the dimentia I'm wondering if it's that taking on new symptoms.
My mom has vascular dementia and she has delusions that she is still at her job as a hospital administrator. She sees the other residents in Memory Care as either her patients or co-workers. It gives her a sense of purpose but can sometimes get her into trouble when others aren’t seeing the situation as she does!
My mom has vascular dementia (and Alzheimer’s). She has delusions. She is having so much trouble making sense of her world so her mind invents wild stories. They are more like traumatic false memories. She is convinced they are real and I have to play along or she gets angry with me.
My Parkinson’s person sees two children with blond hair in his rooms. The doc and I have explained they are not there, but it didn’t convince him. After several months I asked if a keep out sign might help. He seemed interested so I printed a “no kids allowed in these rooms. You will be kicked out if you come in”. It seemed helpful for a while. The signs now are down. The kids still come but they are not bothersome per my person.
One of my 85 year old mother-in-law’s hallucinations is that the night carers sneak their boyfriends in at night. It’s got so bad that she will shout at them to leave when they come and threatens to call the police. We have cameras all over the house and I reassure that if they were bringing their boyfriends in we would have the evidence on camera but this makes her even angrier as it confirms that I don’t believe her. None of the 4 ‘R’s work with this particular hallucinations (the non-existent dog that keeps barking hallucination is easier to deal with). How do I reassure her without agreeing that it’s happening? I’ve had to cancel the night carers as we can’t cope with the distress she’s causing every day all day with these accusations. Does anyone have a strategy for this type of hallucination?
My mom is up banging on the door at 3am to get out and catch her bus home - or someone is there to pick her up - and if you try to redirect her, she’ll cuss you out, call you a stupid ass, and more insulting things, then goes back to shouting “Open the door! Open the door!” It’s why we have deadbolts. 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️
That must be so difficult.
@ I’ve gotta get up and work at 8am (fortunately, I have a remote job)….but I’m often exhausted, developing insomnia, and I’m so tired of all this after 3-1/2 years with very little help from my older sister (lifelong conflict between her and my mother… too much alike = clashes). My goal is to get her in care so I can go back to my own home…but I also struggle with feeling I would be abandoning her….🤦🏾♀️
Thank you my Mom sees things that aren't there
When my husband awakes from a nap or a doze, he often has his fingers pinched together, as if he’s grasping something. Then he starts looking at his hands, like he thinks he was holding onto something?
I would love to hear about visual hallucinations in a blind person with dementia. This is my father’s situation.
My mom has macular degeneration and was diagnosed with Charles Bonnet syndrome.... Hallucinations due to the lack of sight. Look it up for information and details.
@@kprice-wc1udThank you for sharing. My dad has dementia and has very low vision. He is 84 and started having hallucinations about a couple of months ago. He has had poor vision for 24 years. I have read about Charles Bonnet Syndrome. The hallucinations are upsetting him, sometimes he sees his brother who passed away 5 years ago.
My dad was telling me things about his brothers not being dead, but I only figured out after he died and I had time to process it, that he was seeing them. So my advice is the person might not tell you directly they are seeing things but look for strange comments.
Not sure how to find that reassuring voice you talk about…lol. I’m terrible at it. It’s so frustrating and I know my DW can’t help it.
I live with my 90yr mother who was diagnosed with primary dementia a month ago. Her short and long memory are very good, she is functional (cooking, cleaning, dressing etc) but she has two issues. 1st She failed to the clock test (she drew it correctly but failed a bit with the hands) and 2nd lately she has illusions that there are other people living in our home. She does not see people but she thinks or feel it. When asked her for more details I found out that she confuses me with another girl who looks like me but she is younger. She remembers all the conversations but she thinks that she had them with the "other girl. She is put on quepin a fea days now and seems a lot better. Is there any chance that this might be psychiatric and not dementia??
Hello dr. Natali. My mum always states that women or men were in her house days before and stole her glasses (or whatever she hides from time to time, every single day, which drives me crazy however I understand and tell her that I have sued those people. Needless to say, this happens often during the day 😞): is this the case for hallucinations or allusions? Thank you for everything ❤️
My mom will ask me when the parents of "those kids" are going to come pick them up, or complain they are so noisy and she couldn't sleep. She will contort herself on the bed lie she is trying to find room on the bed when there is no one but her on it. If I can, I have her come to a different room, then tell her that the children have been picked up. That will last for a few hours.
Dr. Natalie, My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 10 years ago and now is having pain in his forehead. Can people have more than one type of dementia? Maybe FTD.
My mom is having varying degrees of seeing a man who assista her and my dad (its my dad!). Also stories of things that didn't happen. The brain is so layered..made me think if they are accessing a part of their subconscious like in dreams?😮
Assists her and my dad..used to come over once in awhile..but now..all the time! There's no one. 😢
One more belly rub for Niko! 🐶
He says, Thank You! 💖
Huh... so what was that, 50 seconds on caused, and then straight to "talk to your doctor". Once all of the tests come back negative (like many do), the only 2 options left are 1. Blame the disease (par for the course), or 2. Admit that the duffle bag full of meds they're on is probably the driving factor. We all know, at least those of us who've fired multiple care teams, that no doctor is going to admit their merry-go-round of meds is to blame. Of course, they will certainly threaten us with APS for seeking out other providers who are willing to start un-medicating or loved ones.
It sure would be nice to see a "clinical expert" stand up in a meaningful way to advocate for patients and families.
My husband frequently asks where the people are who were here. He has never mentioned actually seeing these people so I assumed he is just getting times mixed up, thinking of when he was younger and his family was around. He does not get ypset when I tell him we are the only ones here.
My husband often asks where people went too. He asks why they didn't say goodbye when they left. He has trouble believing it is just the two of us in the house. I don't think he is getting mixed up and he doesn't seem bothered by these people, so I just tell him I didn't see them. However, he was having trouble with understanding that our house is our house. That often got him agitated. We now have him on Seroquel and the hallucinations and the disorientation has been greatly improved.
re-directing doesn't work for my mom...or it takes a many,many attempts to redirect, it is very tiresome and annoying...i think her big pharma meds are what's doing this...
@@annegabels6680 Redirecting doesn't work for my husband either.. it makes him much more agitated and angry because he doesn't think I'm listening, don't believe him, or he thinks I believe he is crazy. He is very obsessed with different things over a period of days and nothing distracts him.