My mom has been increasingly hallucinating that there are people, or a person, hiding in our backyard or near our yard's wall! What can I do?

mmason, I agree in getting urine tested asap. Depending on your distance and relationship with her Dr’s office, I’ve been able to call in and request that they send a work order to LabCorp and we went directly there. My mother had another type of hallucination (she saw zoo animals in the trees) right before a ministroke when there wasn’t a UTI present.
So good you have a neurologist appt. next week after you’ve ruled this out!
You’ve gotten other great advice here. Good luck. 💐

My Mother had lewy body, and hallucinated all the time. Mostly auditory. I couldn't convince her they weren't real, to her they were very real. And sometimes frightening. The Dr put her on risperidone, and she calmed down and the hallucinations went away.

Whenever this happened with my mom it was a urinary tract infection. She would scare me by waking me at 3 am, telling me the doorbell rang, or that she saw a man looking into her bedroom window, which was impossible. Some of her hallucinations were bizarre, such as seeing a woman's head spinning around on top of her TV. A round of antibiotics made this stop for awhile. There are other things beside a UTI that can cause hallucinations, so I would check with a doctor and also have her tested for UTI to rule out other things like Parkinson's.

This can be a symptom of Parkinson's disease and there are medications that can help. She needs to see a doctor to check this out.

If she is Living with you, The only thing you can Do is Get used to it or Put her in a Facility that will Care for her. It gets wore where she may not Just Holler But Be a Bother. And you will Not be able to Control her.

Take her out there with you. Ask her to show you the person persons because you know that shes hallucinating. Has she started a new medication? Does any of her regular meds have a side effect for hallucinations? Other than those suggestions I guess its best that yoy just ignore her stop entertaining the hallucinations and maybe shell get tired and start playing some other game. Good luck and God bless.

Get her checked for a UTI. Don't wait until next week, UTI's can become septic then you have additional problems to deal with. Take her to a 24 hour clinic. Or Call neurologist or her primary doctor to ask to have one ordered. Having results in hand will help with next week's appointment.

My neighbor was doing this. I found her one day hiding in my backyard behind bushes. I ACKNOWLEDGED her fears and comforted her. She felt safe and came out and let me walk her home. Telling her NO ONE IS THERE is not helpful. Your job will be much easier if you find another
to speak to her.

My aunt heard music in the walls (unplugged EVERYTHING!),talked to invisible people, and told us about her friend who married a computer - only when she had a UTII.  I got her tested ASAP, in the ER when doc could not see her.

My 90 year-old Dad thought people were coming into his room and taking things, I installed a inexpensive security camera to "catch anyone." Of course no one was entering his room, but he thought he was now back in control of the security of his room. I'd place a camera outside and tell her the police had a direct link and were constantly monitoring the yard for her. If they saw anything, they'd send someone out immediately. Yes, it's stretching the truth, but if it works for her, it's a easy fix and one that doesn't have to take you outside. I hope the suggestion helps.

Aricept sometimes works for paranoid delusions, but not always. Speak to her doctor about possible medications to help. In the absence of infection, it can be difficult to deal with this type of behavior on a regular basis. Don't argue with your mom as that will only lead to agitation. Try distracting her or changing the subject. If these delusions occur in the evenings, perhaps get her on a bathing schedule to coordinate with the time she struggles. Something, anything, that will divert her attention away from what she honestly believes is happening. Always try comforting her as she may just need reassurance that all is well. Have you tried letting her hold a baby doll when she gets upset? Many women calm down immediately when they see their "baby" who needs to be rocked, changed or swaddled. It may be worth a try.
Good luck!

Half joking - tell her they aren’t intruders - that they are the new security guards helping keep the area safer, when she says there’s one - look out and say “oh that’s Jim, he’s one of the guards mum”. If she persists that they are hiding rather than security just tell her you’ve asked them to check for any security issues....

Might take time to work, but worth a shot if you’ll pardon the pun !

lotsokittycats, have your Mom's doctor check her for an Urinary Tract Infection. Such an infection in older people can cause hallucinations. These infections can be controlled with antibiotics.

I would simply answer this obsession with "OK, Mom, I will go check." Then do go and do some chores and return when some time has passed, and reassure her that you checked everything and nothing is there. Hopefully this particular obsession will pass quickly.
It is the guns that worry me.
I am assuming they are safely stored out of Mom's realm of knowledge and out of her reach.
I must watch too much true crime and listen to too many podcasts, because this would freak me out!