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Dementia21 Asked March 2021

How to deal with hallucinations?

Seeing dead people

lealonnie1 Mar 2021
Who's to say it's 'hallucinations'? When a person is approaching end of life, it's well documented they see & hear from departed loved ones in preparation for their journey to the other side. Maybe that's what is happening with your mother. Is she in the advanced/later stages of ALZ/dementia?

My mother just called to tell me she made a phone call to her sister Mary & spoke with her brother in law Angelo. Both of them have been dead for over a decade now. She's in the moderately advanced stage of dementia right now, and says all sorts of things like she's riding the bus to go to Brooklyn to see mama & papa. She lives in Denver and mama & papa have been dead for 36 years and 60 years respectively.

Don't argue with dementia, you will lose every time. There is nothing to 'deal' with, just agree with everything unless it's harmful to your mother.

JoAnn29 Mar 2021
I am with Needhelp. If it doesn't upset them don't worry about it. If the "dead" are relatives that have passed may actually give the person some comfort. Mom always saw a little girl. She must have been something because Mom would be telling her she was going to tell on her. As soon as I made an appearance, the little girl would be gone. Now if seeing these people upsets her, there are meds for the hallucinations.

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freqflyer Mar 2021
Dementia21, have your Mom checked by her family doctor to see if she has an Urinary Tract Infection. Such an infection in an older person can cause all types of unusual things, even hallucinations.

NeedHelpWithMom Mar 2021
I have heard of hospice nurses telling their patients to tell them about what they see.

If it isn’t disturbing or upsetting them and they want to talk about it, you could allow them to talk. Just listen.

If it is upsetting, I would ask the doctor about meds to calm them.
JoAnn29 Mar 2021
This is exactly what Mom neurologist said. If it doesn't upset them than don't worry about it.

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