Hearing voices of family or friends calling her name that only she hears

Minister Debbie

My Mom has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer's. My husband and I live with her in her house. She has severe hearing loss. She claims she hears different members of the family calling for her. Some are alive and some are not. She will go to the front door looking for people. She calls my sister in Washington asking her if she was calling for her. She hears people all the time. I have read that this is a type of hallucination. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Have any ideas on how to help her?

scarfire

this is common with dementia patients. my mom is late stage ALZ dementia and often claims there is a person in the room that she is speaking with when she is actually alone. she has all sorts of delusional behavior. she often claims that she just gave birth to quintuplets (she is 91). she also believes that she is wealthy and owns homes all over the country (she is on a fixed income). she once picked up the phone and called 411 trying to get her sister's phone number (she died 20 years ago).

jfkoc

Please bevery careful of drugs used. Those two do not use the same meds!

ButterflyWings

My DH hears people often. Sees them sometimes too. He has conversations and thus far it has not been a problem. They are friendly guests thank goodness :) Another elder family member definitely heard and saw people and things in her final months. I am quite sure she did. I just couldn't see or hear the same things. She was coming out of hospital delirium after a catastrophic stroke, and probably had a bit of vascular dementia but prior to this had no cognitive issues at all, except a nearly 100 year old brain that was sharper than mine.

DH hearing occasional voices has been going on for 3-4 years now. One consistent thing is him "hearing" his mom call him. So, out of nowhere, he may suddenly call out "Yes?" or "I'm in here!" - as if she has called his name from the other room. After the first time, it didn't phase me anymore. He also generally has trouble interpreting background noises and I feel like this may be related to his tendency for auditory hallucinations too.

Here are a couple of articles though the first one has tips that are more focused on visual hallucinations.

Responding to and Treating Hallucinations in Dementia (verywellhealth.com)

10 Ways to Respond to Dementia Hallucinations in Seniors – DailyCaring

Iris L.

Patients with Lewy Body Dementia are prone to vivid hallucinations. Be cautious of the meds, as jfkoc stated.

Iris

Olly_Bake

That what you state is very common. My dad often hears family and friends calling for him (some still alive and some are not). He also sees things. A baby on the bed or sofa. His deceased wife at the table with him. And this morning after breakfast at the dining table, he saw two dogs in the hallway.

Marta

Do the hallucinations upset your Mom? There are medications that can help reduce them, if they cause her to suffer. Speak to her dementia doctor and/or ask for a referral to a geriatric psychiatrist.