Has anyone dealt with hallucinations related to dementia?

Hallucinations can be present in dementia or without dementia. As others have said, Lewy Body Dementia is known for hallucinations and they often occur early in the disease -- hallucinations may be the first symptom noticed. It is not necessary to treat for them unless they are disturbing. Some of the things my husband "saw" would have disturbed me, but he took it all in stride. Circus animals outside the window? Sounds good to me! A giraffe sauntering by might be amusing, a lion trying to get in might not be. I wouldn't like snakes, or bats, but the bats he saw didn't bother my husband.

Are the drugs helping?

So, yes, the hallucinations might be caused by the dementia (even if it is not Lewy Body). I hope Mom has also been checked for a uti.

And, yes, this dealing with this disease is often the most difficult thing we have ever done!

My dad with Alzheimer's has hallucinations frequently. No meds except for BP and cholesterol. He will look out the window and it's like he is watching a movie. He will talk in this odd type of phrasing. It's usually the same theme. A wedding with a parade, the celebration after this wedding. He mentions his wife and daughters sometimes a brother of his. His CBRF is surrounded by fields and he sees planes ( was a private pilot) and people as well. He watches very intently and will point things out to me. I just nod and agree with him.

Please have your mom checked for a urinary tract infection. Smetimes hallucinations can be a symptom in the elderly.

Thank you igloo that was. Very interesting

My mom had Lewy & hallucinations are one of the hallmarks of it. She saw animals - cats & rabbits - and all non threatening just sitting in a corner or by a doorway. Very matter of fact and no petting or putting food out but more "there was a rabbit in the room this morning".

My mom was kinda classic lewy, she remained pretty cognitive & competent even with hallucinations for about 5 years after diagnosis till latter stages.

For lewy, they often have "spacial" vision problems. They can tend to see things in heighten light & shadow. It is as if they are looking at things lit through a "cookie". A cookie is a cucoloris - a big scrim with irregular openings to allow light to pass through & produces a patterned illumination. So that "rabbit" is really a heighten shadow with bunny details. Often they have a lewy shuffle - flat feet when they shuffle walk so if their brain sees the smooth wood floor as cobblestones it's going to mean unsure walking & a fall in the future. I put torch style floor lamps on timers & freestanding outdoor style big candles on higher shelves on timers in moms IL so make the light even & on a schedule. 86'd any patterned rugs & a set of big, deep dark shelved bookcases too & did whatever to make things brighter with even light. Literally the hallucinations were only if it was a dark, prolonged rainy day. Lewy affects a different part of the brain than Alz. For my mom, she could do the clock drawing till about her last 6-8 mos. but at some point sadly all the dementias get to the point where is no cognition. With lewy you just have a longer period till that happens.

Yes my mother has them and seeing people that aren't there ..although once she surprised me and I think she was talking to my sister ,,it was crazy for me she was talking to my sister Geri's picture ( she died 3 years ago aug 10 of a heart attack suddenly) ..she was 49 ... Anyway she was talking to her picture (Geri's ) and she was asking how are you doing ? And other things ..then all of a sudden I hear mom ask so honey how did you die ? She then said heart attack ? I didn't know that honey .....and I was freaked out because that's how my sister died and my mother never knew the cause ....soooo that was creepy ... But she does hallucinate about her being at work and she has to answer call lights and ectra ectra ...she was put on medication but things haven't changed ..and the fire detectors are people ugh ...

Look up Lewy Body Dementia. Get a more specific diagnosis. Dementia is a general term, like saying you have a garden. Is uour garden (dementia) roses, veggies, wildflowers, Japanese, etc. (Alzheimer's, LBD, FTD, vascular, etc.) Check out the websites for the organizations for these diseases and drill down on the issues with the doctors.