From: olivercranglejr@gmail.com   
      
   Suspicion, Delusions and Alzheimer's   
      
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   A person with Alzheimer's may become suspicious of those around them, even   
   accusing others of theft, infidelity or other improper behavior. While   
   accusations can be hurtful, remember that the disease is causing these   
   behaviors and try not to take offense.   
      
   What to expect   
   How to respond   
      
   What to expect   
   Help others understand changing behaviors.   
   Make sure family members and caregivers understand that suspicions and false   
   accusations are caused by the disease and are not a reflection of them.   
      
   Delusions (firmly held beliefs in things that are not real) may occur in   
   middle- to late-stage Alzheimer's. Confusion and memory loss -- such as the   
   inability to remember certain people or objects -- can contribute to these   
   untrue beliefs. A person with    
   Alzheimer's may believe a family member is stealing his or her possessions or   
   that he or she is being followed by the police. Although not grounded in   
   reality, the situation is very real to the person with dementia. Keep in mind   
   that a person with    
   dementia is trying to make sense of his or her world with declining cognitive   
   function.   
      
   A delusion is not the same thing as a hallucination. While delusions involve   
   false beliefs, hallucinations are false perceptions of objects or events that   
   are sensory in nature. When individuals with Alzheimer's have a hallucination,   
   they see, hear,    
   smell, taste or even feel something that isn't really there.   
   See the Doctor   
      
   If a person with Alzheimer's is having severe delusions and there is a fear of   
   self harm or caregiver harm, or if the delusion or hallucination is extremely   
   troubling to the person, it's important to have a medical evaluation to   
   determine if medication    
   is needed. The first line of treatment for the behavioral symptoms of   
   Alzheimer's is non-drug approaches, but if these strategies fail and symptoms   
   are severe, medications may be appropriate. While antipsychotic medications   
   can be effective in some    
   situations, they are associated with an increased risk of stroke and death in   
   older adults with dementia and must be used carefully. Work with the doctor to   
   learn both the risks and benefits of medication before making a decision.   
      
   Learn more: Non-drug Approaches, Medications for Behavioral Symptoms,   
   Statement on Challenging Behaviors (PDF)    
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   How to respond   
   Don't take offense.   
   Listen to what is troubling the person, and try to understand that reality.   
   Then be reassuring, and let the person know you care.   
   Don't argue or try to convince.   
   Allow the individual to express ideas. Acknowledge his or her opinions.   
   Offer a simple answer.   
   Share your thoughts with the individual, but keep it simple. Don't overwhelm   
   the person with lengthy explanations or reasons.   
   Switch the focus to another activity.   
   Engage the individual in an activity, or ask for help with a chore.   
   Duplicate any lost items.   
   If the person is often searching for a specific item, have several available.   
   For example, if the individual is always looking for his or her wallet,   
   purchase two of the same kind.   
   Share your experience with others.   
   Join ALZConnected, our online support community and message boards, and share   
   what response strategies have worked for you and get more ideas from other   
   caregivers.   
      
      
   Read more: http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-suspicion   
   delusions.asp#ixzz3ACPWqJoH   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)