What are Delusions and Hallucinations?

People with dementia sometimes experience delusions and hallucinations. These can be scary for the person with dementia and frustrating for the caregiver trying to figure out the best way to respond.

In this video I explain the difference between delusions and hallucinations, go over statistics for how many people with dementia experience these symptoms (for example, people with lewy body dementia are more likely to experience visual hallucinations compared to people with alzheimer's disease), and I share important dos and don'ts for responding to these when they happen.
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In case you haven’t met me, my name is Natali Edmonds and I am a board certified geropsychologist. That means that I am a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with older adults. One day, while hiking a trail, I came up with the idea for Careblazers and I decided to see if posting videos online could provide help to the many other Careblazers in the world who don’t get to have help come directly to them in their homes. I hope that this work helps you in some way on your caregiving journey.
#careblazer #dementia #dementiacare

[Alyjens]

Mom is very confused and embarrassed when she begins to come out of her hallucinations. Mostly they are her thinking she is in her home & cooking something for us. She loved her home, but is now in a nursing home due to other physical issues. She is aware that her mind is not always “working right” & it upsets her. I found the best way to reassure her is to explain that she’s having a vivid dream or memories. It gives her a way to avoid her embarrassment and now when her awareness returns she will say, “I guess I’m having one of my dreams again.” It’s not so scary for her then. We are just grateful that for the most part her hallucinations are pleasant ones. Thanks for your videos! They are so helpful.

[colleenmarshall]

Thank advice helped my husband deal with his 92 yr. old mother-in-law when she saw our dog, which has been dead for four years, standing by the front door wanting to go out. So, my husband opened the door to our dead dog and let her out. His Mom was instantly relieved. Thank You....and God Bless all those reading this who are dealing with a loved one with dementia.

[jancoleman]

My mom’s delusions and hallucinations have been the dementia symptoms that surprised me the most in this Careblazer journey. Your explanations have been so helpful, making them less shocking to me now.

[elainemedley]

Found this one so timely. My husband has been experiencing what I think are delusions. He thinks someone has changed everything in our home as well as outside on the porch. He thinks they made everything smaller. He feels upset about it until we talk. Can’t change his mind so don’t try but I point out that it isn’t that bad is it. He finally agrees. I think it might stem from our selling our home and moving into an apt. You are a blessing with your helpful shares❤️👏🏻

[jackieenriquez]

My mom locks everything up! Her food cabinets her refrigerator when she got her new one we didn’t connect the ice maker because someone was going to steal her ice!
She hides things then can’t find it so someone came in and stole it. When we find it later she never says oh I found my vitamins or whatever it was she thought was stolen. She is determined that the manager of her apartment is the one doing it. I can’t get her to move in with me.
She is very aware of other things she still cooks does laundry. I don’t know if it’s related to dementia or not.
Severe anxiety, paranoia psychosis. ? Very hard to deal with. She seems so normal but all of the above is her reality . No one would know if I didn’t tell them. They just think she a nice older lady. I believe she will confront someone soon she is getting worse.
Thank you for posting this and for letting me vent to you.

[robocat]

I'm so glad you have addressed this topic. My 65yo wife has this symptom every day.

[bclark]

My Mom is 84 and was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and what a ride it's been. My mothers primary symptoms are Delusions and Hallucinations. We had to put her in a home after she threatened my Dad and his imaginary mistresses. She went after him with a pair of scissors and was up all hours of the night going from one room to another looking for all of them. She was taken to the hospital where she was quiet the first day and the doctors questioning us thinking maybe we had exaggerated but then she started sundowning really bad thinking everyone was trying to poison her and hallucinating. She destroyed a nurses station, threw framed family photos, glass everywhere ripped stuff off the walls and punched two nurses. That's when she was diagnosed with suspected LBD. She originally was in the memory care wing but has since moved to Assisted Living but spends most times with my Dad in IL(he moved there to be close to her) until the delusions start again. The time between episodes is getting shorter and lasting longer. She is now on three different medications just for the Lewy Body. This is the cruelest most heart wrenching disease imaginable. She is absolutely tormented by delusions on a daily basis. The hallucinations seem to be woven in and out of her daily reality. She/we just can't get a break anymore and sadly I used to be the one who could divert her just calm her and nothing is working anymore. Thank you for sharing this information I've been a long time lurker here and this topic definitely resonated with me. Actually I think I had gotten some of this information on one of your other videos and it did make a difference but sadly now we are losing the battle. Thank you again.

[MP-yetv]

Hi Natalie I discovered you a month ago and am so grateful to have found this channel, it has helped me and in turn, my mother so much 🙏
My mother has had 6 months of mild forgetfulness, she is 88, then a month ago, acute onset, very serious, full blown delusions, your insights and guidance have helped me understand first and foremost to reassure her that she is safe and loved so we can navigate this with respect and compassion. TBH as I write this I am on the brink of tears for how grateful I am for all that you do 💖💖💖

[TheDWZemke]

According to our Neurologist my wife does not fall in any of the 4 main AREAS. My wife can not multi task anymore. SO After IDENTIFYING the feeling, I present severial different ideas/thoughts/THINGS quickly and then try to redirect her. Thank you for you work and effort! I have gotten much better. Now when she comes to me about conversations she just had (not in my reality) with someone... I reaffirm her values.. she is a good friend, manager, worker, good problem solver etc.

[productionsllc]

Hi Natali, As always, great content. And I'm happy that you have upped the production value with a better microphone and some better editing. It's looking much better than before.

I wanted to say that my father with LBD exhibited delusions and hallucinations you described. As you stated, I found it better to roll with what he was experiencing as opposed to trying to correct this thoughts. But don't beat yourself up if they catch you off guard and you make the situation worse by correcting them. It will happen, for sure. Just continue to deal with the emotion of the situation or let them know that you are taking care of their concern which shows you're still caring for your loved one.

My father would have high energy days and low energy days as his LBD progressed. On his high energy days, his hallucinations and delusions would be more acute. He would be more anxious about this thoughts and I found that trying to solve his issues with an imaginary phone call would help. I would also step out of the room for a little bit and return saying that I have taken care of his issue. Most times that would work.

It's a constant process of being alert to your loved one's emotional state and it can be wearing. Make sure to take some "me time" every once and a while to help keep yourself sharp and alert to your loved one's hallucinations and delusions.

[sammie]

my husband who is 85 tells me, he reads things on walls, hearing cell phone rings and he answers them without a cell, 40, 60 or 16 men following him...he talks to business colleagues daily without a cell...He talks with PM, gov't. officials, Presidents, leaders of other countries....He is in the hospital....He has no cell phones...I feel so broken up...a brilliant man, he was...now that man is gone...😭😭😭

[carol]

My husband's delusion is that I'm cheating with a 22 year old boy I'm 70 and he sees me crawling on the ground. this is the most crazy stuff I've ever heard, but you have helped me greatly in dealing with this thank you

[reenimelgoza]

My mom just had her second hallucination that I know of. She told me a man had knocked on her bedroom door then opened it. She told him he had the wrong house so he left. I asked her if the dogs were barking. She said no, they were very quiet and good. I reassured her that the dogs are there to protect her and they will keep him away. She was satisfied with that. Had someone really been in the house they would have been barking and going crazy. I didn’t tell her that though. I’m glad to know I am on the path to saying and doing the right things!

[nancyt.pasour]

Please tell me if you or any of your members have heard of this. As a young man I believe my husband suffered with some type of mental illness. He nor any of his family will admit to this so therefore no medical care was sought. I think there were many times when he exhibited this. One instance was when he thought his neighbor was cutting trees down in his backyard to sell for firewood. He called his father in the middle of the night to come to his house and see. His father checked it out and found nothing of the kind. My husband said they hid it all by covering the tree stumps with leaves. He also has said there have been times when someone has tried to harm him. There were many more instances along the way but his family never believed him and rather than to get him help they just ignored him. My question is this; can mental illness as a young person lead to Alzheimer's? He was just diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's in October of this year at the age of 62. He is on medication for memory loss now.

Thank you for any and all replies.

[PinkLemonade]

Thank you. My mom has both of these, she doesn't recognize me, she thinks other people live in our home. She has told me she had conversations with my grandma or my dad, both have passed.

[passionatesingle]

My mum has hallucinations at times but they are all very pleasant so I don't worry about them. If she 'saw her mum' in the morning then I just say I'm sorry I missed her. If she thinks she was 'working all day' then I tell her it's time to rest. If her 'young kids' aren't home for dinner but they were there just a minute ago I tell her they left for my sisters place.I am just glad its nothing fearful that causes her stress and I hope that doesn't change. A few times she thought someone had taken her money and goes through her handbags to show me but I make sure we have some cash in all her handbags and show her it was in one of her other bags. So far so good!

[jamiealex]

I have 6 children as well and looking after my grandad with dementia not easy 😢

[alexmorgan]

Very helpful. My mother has delusions and fantasies. She can be totally non threatening if you indulge her, but really defensive or hostile even if you challenge the validity of any of them. She has not recognised me, her son, on a few occasions either genuinely not knowing who I am or mistaking me for other people. It doesn't last long though. She thinks there are little yellow men inside her laptop as they dance across the screen.

[djsxkjj]

I fail at this all the time. Will definitely watch this over and over.

[carolgibson-wilson]

I stopped correcting my ex when he saw/heard things that weren't there. It seemed the best solution after several arguments. I found getting one of our grandchildren in his room to visit. He loved them so much it would distract him.