Follow
Share

My mother has early stage mixed dementia and she's taken more and more to just staring out the window when she spends time with me. I try to engage her in conversation but it's pretty sporadic, but yet she also often insists to be in my company and yet doesn't want to talk and just eats, or stares. Sometimes she also just stares at me when a normal person would be speaking, and I say "yes what's up?" and she'll always say she was waiting for me to do or say something. It is like she watches me in the same way that she'd watch television! This might not seem so weird if she had advanced dementia, but she doesn't she keeps up with current events, pays her bills, and can carry on a conversation when she has a mind to and quite sneaky. Is it terrible to say it's creepin' me out?

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing
Curtain, you're not the first poster to mention having this issue with their elderly parent. The issue of being stared at or watched as though we're their form of entertainment. Maybe it's boredom. My mother does this too when I'm staying at her house and it does feel creepy. And intrusive. So no it's not terrible to say so, at least not as far as I'm concerned.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

You might want to check out Lewy Body Dementia. People with Parkinson's/LB Dementia can develop a fixed stare known as a Parkinson's mask, characterized by no facial expression and very little blinking. People with LBD can also function perfectly in some areas and be totally off the rails in others, so symptoms can be easily missed or misinterpreted.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Curtain, your whole description perfectly fits my dad. And yes, it IS creepy. Annoys the heck out of my SO--he'll walk out to SO's shop and just stand outside the door staring in for 5-30 minutes, won't say a word, then turns around and walks away. SO's work is unfamiliar to dad (who moved in with us 7 months ago), hadn't thought about that being a dementia element. We're in the midst of dementia evaluation process right now, will mention it to the doc next visit.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Thanks for your replies good to know this is just part of the spectrum of crazy stuff that happens. CarlaB, you are right it feels intrusive - like I'm just some object she has the right to just stare at without interacting or considering that it's just plain rude to stare at people! Yeah I know, I'm dreaming that she gives a hoot about what's rude where I'm concerned.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

My cousin has advanced dementia and she will stare a lot. She doesn't have much to say anymore. She will answer yes or no, but normally says she doesn't know or doesn't recall. Still, she loves it when I visit. We just sit and I'll make comments. She will look out side a little bit. Last time she asked me if I saw the little dogs in the trees outside! I said, they must be hiding from me. lol So, I'm not sure what she's actually seeing. Maybe she sees fairies on my shoulder.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter