Dementia Support Group
Dementia is the progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Particularly affected areas may be memory, attention, language and problem solving, although particularly in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time, place and person (not knowing who they...
After almost 2 years of this, I know I should be used to it, but I still get upset when my mother insists that people are breaking into her house and stealing things and strewing items around. She called crying and hysterical last night that "those people" had broken in again and thrown clothing all over her basement. This all passes, of course, but she periodically tells others about these "people" and it unnerves them too.
I don't argue with her any more about it, but it is still painful to have to listen to her tell these stories. Any advice? She is on Zoloft, and she does have Ativan if she gets very anxious but I don't like to give her a lot of it.
I don't argue with her any more about it, but it is still painful to have to listen to her tell these stories. Any advice? She is on Zoloft, and she does have Ativan if she gets very anxious but I don't like to give her a lot of it.
My dad was in a nursing home towards the end. My mom had died about 10 years earlier of myocardial hypertrophy. He was convinced that she died after being hit by a car and they never found who did it.
I don't know what triggered this memory, but he also constantly complained that people were coming into his room and stealing things. This may be some sort of defense mechanism. Because their memory is so deteriorated, they misplace things (sometimes it seems like they misplace everything). In order for them to cope with that they convince themselves that someone else has to be taking their stuff. My father-in-law has started this rationalization recently.
My advice to you is to just hope for some good days. Try to find things that trigger some semblance of lucidness. My dad's was baseball. It seemed like when there was a game on in the background he could concentrate more. Of course, as time goes on, even that won't work. When that happens just be happy to spend time with her.
But beyond that, the delusions and paranoia are part of the dementia, and often is has to run its course. It is very hard to deal with these types of behaviors, and I understand how it would be disturbing to you. Have you thought about placement in a nursing facility?
We only resort to Ativan very occasionally and never while she is alone. My sister and I are going to start making appts to evaluate local nursing homes and try to get my parents on al list. My dad's alzheimers is really progressing and impairing him physically, while my mom is physically in tip top shape but delusional.
Life is an interesting learning process, isn't it?