Night time delusions/hallucinations-how to convince LO they're in bed?

Milady1122

sometimes Mom sleeps through the night and sometimes she's up every hour or so wanting to get home from wherever she is (thinks she is) 

How do you deal with convincining your LO they are at home and in bed??

Of course to her she is in her car, outside, in an office building, etc and describes what she sees and that is HER reality... and there is no convincing her she is in bed and had a dream.  She has logical retorts, like "how can I be dreaming if you're talking to me and I can touch you?" but still sees people walking by.

once i was able to just talk her through "we're walking into the house and going to bed now"

last night i got her to the commode thinking the physical walking a few steps and going to the bathroom would trigger the "i'm inside now" but when i got her back to bed she'd ask why she has to sleep outside and keeps saying "don't leave me" she is in a narrow twin bed so I can't even lay down with her to calm her and catch a few ZZZs

she uses a wheelchair, although can stand with assistance... maybe going through the motions of taking her to the back door and "into the house" will work even though its a process at 3am? 

this all night thing is relatively new... just tested for a UTI (negative) as that is usually the cause of her delusions. 

zauberflote

Milady, I never personally dealt with this, but have learned much from my stay here. A visit to the proper medical expert (others will tell you better) can help with these hallucinatory-type disturbances. It sounds like she is terrified being in her own reality. Would it be possible to set a comfy chair for you next to her bed, so that you may stay with her and get a few of your own zzzz's? That could work short term anyway. 

When my mom was in the hospital for this or that reason, I, my brother, or a hired CNA would sit in the room overnight, so that if she woke we could reassure her immediately. 

Arrowhead

Trying to convince dementia patients of anything is futile. Don't try to force her to live in the real world because it will not work. Try to live in hers as much as possible. Try different approaches until you find one that works. I never could convince my wife she needed to quit trying to "go home." I finally just made it impossible for her to leave. Don't give up, you will survive this.

M1

Is she taking any medications at bedtime? There's another current thread about sleep disruption, it's very common with disease progression and can be helped with medications. Not likely to improve on its own.

Milady1122

thanks.. maybe i can get a fold up chair/bed that i can throw next to her.  I can't afford to have a CNA sit with her all night.  we have someone during the day so i can work.

Milady1122

Hi.. everyone... thanks for the info.  thanks.. maybe i can get a fold up chair/bed that i can throw next to her.  I can't afford to have a CNA sit with her all night.  we have someone during the day so i can work.

i do realize that is her reality and nothing will convince her otherwise.  I usually "walk her into the house and go to bed" I've even gotten her some random keys so she can "open the door to get in the house" so that she feels she went through the process and is ok with being home... that doesn't work anymore.  

She had a recent and very sudden decline, including delusions/hallucinations, occasionally during the day and now all through the night.  For the past half hour she is in a delusion she is at my aunt's house (who she hasn't seen in several years) and for the first time has no idea who I am

Her meds haven't changed recently, other than them removing one of her BP meds. 

I gave her time released Melatonin (recommended by Dr) and she slept the first night only. 

They now gave her meds to help her sleep... first night did not work.  here's hoping night 2 does.... 

zauberflote

Wisdom here says, when there is a sudden change such as you have seen, check for a "silent" UTI, and request a culture so they can start off with a good choice of antibiotic. 

I hope you both get more sleep really soon. 

scarfire

my mother has the same night time hallucinations. she often thinks she's piloting a bomber during WWII. both of her older brothers were pilots and both were shot down during the war. this was a childhood trauma that she seems to relive often at night. sometimes she thinks she's in a hospital also. she talks for hours. it's very difficult to convince her that she is home in bed where she's lived for 56 years. sometimes i'll just get her up and into the bathroom and change the underwear since they are usually wet. this might snap her out of the hallucination as i tell her that she is going back to the bed she's slept in for years. not always. it's an upsetting symptom of the dementia that can't always be controlled. eventually she'll fall asleep but it often costs me a night of sleep.

sorry i can't give much advise, milady1122. just let wanted to let you know that i have the same problem with my mom.