Dad has early stage of dementia with paranoia. What help is available at this point?
He's fully aware of people and surroundings and can still drive. My mom is burned out from being accused of spying and taking money. He is fully aware of most things, it is just the paranoia that is driving her crazy.
My mother in early vascular dementia was very functional but also paranoid accusing others of stealing from her. She was hospitalized for a while and evaluated and eventually she agreed to taking an antipsychotic. She resisted that for quite a while but gave in during a particularly bad episode. It helped her a great deal.
What meds was tried on your dad? Has he had a geriatric neuropsychological evaluation? As sunny mentioned, if his behaviour gets too difficult he may need to be placed in a facility. This is very difficult for all family members and especially for your mother. (((((hugs)))))
I think that sometimes they have to adjust meds and try new ones, to find one or a combination that works. That can take time. Sometimes, they may need to be in the hospital in order to get this done. You might confer with a geriatric psychiatrist.
Not only can emotional distress be taxing on family members, it's painful for the person who is suffering as well. That's why would treat it very seriously. This type of behavior can pass, but there is no way to know how long it will last.
If your mom is not able to deal with his behavior, then, I'd explore options. It is very exhausting to care for someone who is constantly making false accusations, displaying paranoid and threatening behavior. Sometimes, the person can not be dealt with in a residential setting. I'd ask for help from his doctor or a psychiatric hospital.
There is medication, but it wasn't helping. I just am not sure what to do, my mom just wants this to stop and really doesn't want to deal with it at this point, but this is just the beginning.
That's a tough situation. I'm not sure if there is any medication for paranoia. I hope you'll get some helpful responses on this. I would discuss the problem with his doctor. I would treat it very seriously, as some people with dementia grow paranoid enough to harm other family members. I'd take care to get weapons out of the house and even remove things like knives.
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What meds was tried on your dad? Has he had a geriatric neuropsychological evaluation? As sunny mentioned, if his behaviour gets too difficult he may need to be placed in a facility. This is very difficult for all family members and especially for your mother. (((((hugs)))))
Not only can emotional distress be taxing on family members, it's painful for the person who is suffering as well. That's why would treat it very seriously. This type of behavior can pass, but there is no way to know how long it will last.
If your mom is not able to deal with his behavior, then, I'd explore options. It is very exhausting to care for someone who is constantly making false accusations, displaying paranoid and threatening behavior. Sometimes, the person can not be dealt with in a residential setting. I'd ask for help from his doctor or a psychiatric hospital.
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