My mom suffers from dementia, and at times has delusions and goes on and on about things that in no way happened. For example yesterday it was someone is threatening her and eveyone in the family. Meaning to kill us I guess. I tried to console her to no avail. No sense arguing with her. That won't work. Tried time after time to change the subject only to revert right back to it. I know it's scary for her, but it really wears me down. I'm dreading going to see her today, and it's getting that way more and more.
Shadowchild, I loved your ideas.I think I'll try that the next time. Maybe if she thinks I'm concerned it will help, because the other day she accused me of not taking her seriously, and not caring. I wasn't sure how to act like I took her seriously, knowing it wasn't real.
Lastofseven...... I've tried your ideas so many times, and all she does is give me negative responses. I'm always bringing her things I think she'll like, but it helps for abotu 2 minutes. It's very hard to make her happy.
I try to change the topics and focus on something else, but she just goes back to what she's thinking about.
Jinx4740 I agree with you. She's on Hospice and they know wht's going on. I know some of it is the dementia, some the meds, some from a chronic UTI. It's just hard sometimes even though you know what's causing it, but not knowing how to react.
Thanks everyone for listening to me vent.
Also, be sure to tell her doctor about her delusions. Is she on too much medication, or too little? Ask your pharmacist to review everything she is taking. Could an anti-anxiety, antidepressant or antipsychotic help? Many people on this site report big improvements with drugs like that. We don't want our loved ones to be drugged-out zombies, but it's just as bad for them to be afraid all the time.
Hope that helps, it sure works for me when I go through the motions caring for mum.
I wish for you the best under your circumstances, I deal with it on a daily basis, I know EXACTLY what you're feeling.
For your own sanity, and you've likely read this several times over, but I can't emphasize enough how much better I feel after taking a 1/2-3/4 hour walk around the neighborhood in the quiet late evening, you'll see, think and hear things you otherwise wouldn't have had you stayed indoors. Each night I come home from my time out, I return with much less wait on my shoulders than I had before... amazing treatment!
- out here
Best wishes ... Rebecca