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Do People with Dementia have Hallucinations?

7 Comments

Dementia is becoming a serious problem as in the future more and more people will get this syndrome. As a psychologist I work a lot on the Psycho geriatric departments in my hospital and I know what Dementia can do to the person itself but also to his family and friends. The most striking difficulties people have with Dementia are the Dementia hallucinations and delusions. For most people the difference between hallucinations and delusions is not always clear. A hallucination is when someone sees or hears things, like persons or animals, that are not there. They actually see people walking like their past away mother or a strange scary man. A delusion is when someone says his mother is still alive when they are actually dead but is not seeing her.

Dementia comes with hallucinations and delusions. The delusions are seen frequently when people are getting more cognitive impaired. Hallucinations are not that frequently seen in Dementia but sometimes they are. Dealing with them is very hard for the person but also for the family and friends of the demented person.

As stated, hallucinations are not frequently seen in most types of Dementia. Sometimes it is seen in the latter stages of Alzheimer disease but it is seen most in Lewy body Dementia. Almost 10% of all demented people have lewy body Dementia. With this disease, there are strange cells forming in the brain area and these cells or bodies are called Lewy bodies. These cells will interfere with the normal functioning of the brain which results into a variety of symptoms like tremor, slow thinking and visual hallucinations. At first these people are sometimes misdiagnosed with Parkinson disease as these diseases look alike. The striking thing about Lewy body is that he person his intellect stays intact. You can recognize a demented person with lewy body because he looks lost and is agitated. He is walking a lot and trying to tell stories that he can not remember. He is highly distracted and sees dementia hallucinations very often.

You can not suppress these hallucinations completely, but some medications will give good results. Haldol will most of the times give good results on hallucinations in Alzheimer disease. Haldol is not appropriate in Lewy body because it has the opposite effect. In lewy body Seroquel and Sinemet (Parkinson medication) have showed good results.  Lewy body is not the only type of dementia where hallucinations are seen. As stated before in this article, they are also seen in Alzheimer disease only a little bit different. Where in Lewy body people can see other person’s walking around that are not there, people with Alzheimers see smaller things like bugs crawling on their self. This is one of the reasons why they are picking at themselves, they are often remove little bugs. Strangely enough they are not threatening to the person.

In this article I tried to explain what Dementia hallucinations and what the difference is between hallucinations and delusions. These two symptoms are maybe the hardest to deal with for the demented person and his family.

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Filed Under: Dementia Tagged With: Dementia hallucinations, diagnosed with Parkinson disease, difference between hallucinations and delusions, difficulties people have with Dementia, hallucinations and delusions, Lewy body Dementia, recognize a demented person

Comments

  1. Mari Terrance says

    February 5, 2018 at 6:34 am

    Around age 60 I noticed that my handwriting was getting smaller and I was writing faster. I also noticed a small tremor in my right hand. The doctor went over my different symptoms and he suspected I’d either had a small stroke or the beginnings of Parkinson ‘s disease. After finding a neurologist and some testing I was diagnosed with the beginning stages of Parkinson’s disease. That was 4 years ago. I take Sinimet four times a day to control my symptoms, which include falling, imbalance, gait problems, swallowing difficulties, and slurring of speech,December 2017 our family doctor started me on Green House Herbal Clinic Parkinson’s Disease Herbal mixture, 5 weeks into treatment I improved dramatically. At the end of the full treatment course, the disease is totally under control. No case of dementia, hallucination, weakness, muscle pain or tremors.

    Reply
  2. Steve Morton says

    September 23, 2017 at 7:26 pm

    I am 63 years old, I was diagnosed of Parkinsons disease at the age of 57. I had severe calf pain, muscle pain, slurred speech, frequent falls, loss of balance, difficulty getting up from sitting position. I was placed on Sinemet 3 times daily, it helped me but not very much. My neurologist advised me to try natural treatments and introduced me to NewLife Clinic Parkinsons Disease Herbal formula, I read alot of positive reviews from other patients who used the treatment and i immediately started on the treatment. I had great improvement and relief with this treatment, total decline of symptoms. Great improvement with speech, co-ordination, balance, muscle, mood etc, I gained back my life with this treatment and can never be thankful enough. Visit NewLife Clinic official website ww w. newlifeherbalclinic. com.

    My life is back!

    Reply
  3. Melina says

    May 16, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    My Grandma has been having hallucinations for awhile now to her these people are real that shes been seeing for over two months now.We keep telling meaning my family and I keep telling her its just a dream but she doesnt understand to her she wants this to go away its scary to her and frightens her.We dont know how to help her and theres nothing we can do to help her and its frustrating for us and I know it is for her as well.I know these Hallucinations are in her mind but try telling her that she thinks its the real thing and is wondering why shes seeing these things.Alos she is in the early to mid stages of Alzheimers and I knowe there is no cure but you want the best things in life for your loved ones and for them to be happy unfortunately she isnt happy an dis depressed all the time shes on a antidepressant and I dont think its helping.I am slowly wathcing my Grandma decline and repeat things too she has so much going against her I dont know what I would do or how I would be if I was in her situation.I feel for her and I saty the night with her periodically from month to moth looks like I will have to stay the night with her more often.Shes very stubborn and set in her ways and doesnt want to ever leave her house and for personal reasons I know why she never wants to go anywhere.My Mom and I just left her house and she told us about these people in her house at night that arent there but to her they are very real.

    Reply
  4. Maggie says

    August 5, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    After finally having tests results the Neuro specialist told us our mother (65 years old) has either LBD or AD. We feel she fits the LBD symptoms. Her hallucinations are 24/7 and she rarely sleeps. She tells us people are after her and are trying to kill her…everyday. It’s difficult trying to get a professional to call back and takes months for an appointment.

    Reply
  5. Cornelius says

    October 14, 2009 at 1:15 am

    Are you a professional journalist? You write very well.

    Reply
  6. admin says

    October 12, 2009 at 11:10 am

    Hi leone,

    You are absolutely wright. Haldol is only given to hallucinations for people with Alzheimer disease (when the have hallucinations). With lewy Body Haldol has indeed the opposite effect on the hallucinations and delusions. They will get worse instead of better. I changed the way how I wrote it in the article, thank you.

    Reply
  7. Leone Barben says

    October 12, 2009 at 11:01 am

    My husband has Lewy Body Disease. The Lewy Body association does not approve the use of Haldol for LBD. Haldol, Ativan, and Risperdol are not appropriate for LBD. My husband takes Seroquel and Sinemet only.

    Reply

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