Mom's (90) in an independent living facility. She is complaining about staff stealing from her. Any advice?

It is paranoia which seems to appear with dementia, or even just with aging without dementia. There are meds that can help her. A geriatrician prescribed an antipsychotic for my mother who does not have dementia, but had been paranoid for a while and it was getting worse. A psychiatrist would also be a good choice. It is likely that it will get worse. My mother has progressed from thinking staff are stealing from her, to having paranoid delusions about things people have done to her that have never happened. She gets quite agitated due to this. I gather that someone as diagnosed your mother as having dementia/alz. It might be an idea to go back to that person and go from there. Sometimes people who are paranoid do not want to take the meds as they have paranoia about that. It can get quite difficult. Your mum will need another type of living arrangement eventually as the alz progresses. Not a bad idea to look ahead and get information so you are prepared. (((((((hugs)))) I know this is hard.

Hi MichaelAnne,
Emjo gave you good advice. Either a neurologist or psychiatrist could be a good choice when it comes to treatment. You need a doctor who is experienced in dementia treatment so you may want to do some research. Many clinics and hospitals have online biographies of the doctors and indicate areas of concentration. Dementia doesn't have to be mentioned, but this is one resource that can help you determine which doctor you'd like to try.

Medications can help paranoia, but much depends on the cause. Your mom needs an accurate diagnosis in order to be treated properly.
Best wishes,
Carol

My MIL is 86 and misplaces things. She always thinks someone took stuff.