How do I feed someone who hallucinates seeing bugs in all their food?

Thomas, I wondered if there was anyway to work with her hallucinations. If she sees bugs, maybe they could be good bugs that are nutritious and don't eat the food. They were put there to give her the special nutrition she needs? The bugs in her bed and the ants stinging her are terrible. I wouldn't know what to do, but my heart goes out to her. Maybe you can use an "anti-bug" lotion on her skin at night -- something that would be soothing for her skin and to her have the property of keeping the ants from biting. I don't know if this would help, because I know almost nothing about cerebellar ataxia. I hope you can find something that eases her mind so you can enjoy more time together. I know it is a difficult disease and you are wonderful to be there for her. Big hugs to you and your mom.

The poor lady! Wouldn't it be dreadful to see bugs in your food? I hope her doctor can narrow down the possible causes and take corrective action.

Meanwhile, would she enjoy taking some of her meals as a smoothie drink? If you serve it in an opaque container with a straw, so she never has to look at the food, would that help?

This is a perplexing problem. Do let us know of any progress you make. We learn from each other!

Reason is pointless with hallucinations. I sure get that! But I like JessieBelle's suggestions for sharing her reality. There are bugs in her bed. Doesn't matter if you can't see them. Doesn't matter if there is ice outside. Doesn't matter if you have just fumigated. There are bugs in her bed. I like that you tried the ant traps! I'm sorry it wasn't more effective. But rubbing a nice anti-bug lotion on her when she goes to bed is worth a try. Accept her reality. There are bugs. Try to help her deal with it.

Hugs to you and your mom.

I watched the video and hear a voice repeating "do you see bugs?" which is downright cruel power of suggestion. It might help if you told her she sees strawberries or something pleasant. Please.

Oh, and have you seen the new anti-bug place mats? They keep bugs away from anything placed on them for 35 minutes. They aren't like anything you have in your home now, but they are available at Target, Walmart, etc. :)

Hot chilies, nutmeg, moldy rye bread, sea bream (fish) and our old friend coffee are five foods with a history of causing hallucinations.

.Antidepressants such as amitriptyline, imipramine, trazodone and amoxapine can cause hallucinations,
.Digoxin can cause formed and unformed visual hallucinations,
Propranolol can cause visual hallucinations,
Benztropine and trihexyphenidyl can cause visual hallucinations,
Hallucinations are reported with cimetidine, clonidine bromocriptine, levodopa, methylphenidate, antihypertensives, corticosteroids, antineoplastic and antibiotics.
If she is taking any of these call the MD and get meds corrected.

sharper lighting in the room maybe ?

Boy Thomas, I feel for you. I have two suggestions, but I have no idea if they would work. First, one thing some parents do for toddlers who are afraid of monsters is to get "monster spray". Then they make a big show of spraying away the monsters at bedtime. Or they let their child have the spray bottle to handle it themselves. I wonder if you could get a spray bottle at the Dollar Store and fill it with colored water and a bit of vanilla or some kind of scent and slap a "Bugs-B-Gone" label on there and "spray away the bugs" for your mom.

The other idea would be to have some friend come over who's a "Pest Control Specialist" and have them "treat" your house for bugs. Move your mom to another room while they "treat" her room. Put some kind of spray in there so it smells different. Have the specialist tell her that her house is now bug proof. Make it as elaborate as you'd need to in order to get her to believe it. I don't know if she'd remember it the next day or not...

Again, I have no idea if either idea would work, but I'd start with the Bug-B-Gone idea. It can't hurt. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for you...

I only asked if she was seeing bugs to make it clear on the video. This has been going on daily for well over a year. I keep trying to tell her she is having hallucinations, that they are not real, but she refuses to even consider they are not real. I have heard "medical experts" say you should not try to convince them they are not real and not leave them alone. Obviously, they have had no personal expetience. She often wakes up screaming at night because the ants are stinging her.
I do have some experience dealing with hallucinations, my brother has paranoid schizophrenia with psychosis and went off his meds a few years ago. This is not related. Bug hallucinations are quite common with dementia. Cerebellar ataxia is rare and is hereditary, but ony passed on through females. The cerebellum is also near the visual and auditory centers. I am only guessing that they are related to her seeing faces, bugs, etc., and hearing them also. She tells me the bugs talk to her and sees nothing unusual about that.

I do use a travel mug and large straws for juices and smoothies. I suppose I will have to liquify everything from now on. Just as well, she had several more teeth pulled last month due to periodontal disease. The nursing homes in Oklahoma are rated "F" and I could not leave her to minimum wage caretakers anyways.

when mom woke up crying and thinking diotomecious earth in the home was burning her i redirected her to the possibility that shed lain and slept hard and was sweaty, maybe a quick shower would help. we took the shower and it somehow stopped the burning sensation. you dont accept their reality with them at 100 % , you sure dont change their minds -- you redirect and find a compromise ( imo ) .
( wed had a battle with bed bugs but were already winning it by this point )