Dad is talking to someone.. himself maybe.. i dont know.. - Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Message Board

Punkdizzle · 09-04-2006, 05:59 PM

i have been catching my dad talking to (i think) himself alot in the past few months.. i really dont know how often it happens since i dont live with my parents.. but i do visit quite alot.. anyway i cant make out what he is saying it just sounds like babble to me.. and i am a little scared to ask him who he is talking to.. ( i am not sure i want to hear the answer..)

i mean everyone talks to themself now an then... like just the other day i said to myself out loud "oh crap! i forgot to lock the door.." i was the only one around and it didnt seem odd to me..

but he seems to be holding quite a long conversation with himself or someone else that isnt there.. (usually 1-2min) i dont really know what to think about it and i really dont want to ask him who he is talking to.. for all i know he could just be praying or thinking out loud.. can this be part of Azheimer's? or could it be Dementia? sorry if thats a dumb question i am still trying to learn what he may be going through and feeling... and until i am up to speed i dont want to go making assumptions...

oh BTW: i printed out the sticky post and gave it to my mother.. she still has not even picked it up...

and i am in the process of removing the firearms from their house.. so his threats cant become a reality..

Martha H · 09-04-2006, 06:31 PM

That's what it sounds like. It is harmless. My Mom spoke to a 'monkey' in a tree in my brother's back yard for 3 months. She carried on real sounding conversations.

Alzheimer's is just one subcategory of dementia, there are many other types, but they are all sad and rob the person eventually of their old personality. As long as he is only babbling to himself or some imaginary companion, it is harmless, just ignore it. You are absolutely right not to ask him. He might feel obligated to make up some story to 'explain' it or may become riled up because someone is questioning him. Just let him ramble. Maybe he is only thinking out loud, as I also do when I suddenly exclaim "now what in the world did I come in here for?"

I don't THINK I have AD, ...yet ...

Love,

Martha

Punkdizzle · 09-04-2006, 06:40 PM

oh he has been DXed with AD.. i guess i should have been a little more clear with my post now that i read it again... what i was asking is..

is this babbling and talking to nothing or something only he knows about part of the disease?

angel_bear · 09-04-2006, 08:43 PM

Easy question with a simple answer.

Yup.

Pretty much anything they do is considered 'typical' unfortunately. Don't be surprised by too much (I sound so defeatist don't I ?? I don't mean to be) because even though the Dementia's have their 'routine' symptoms, because everybody is an individual and unique their specific symptoms will vary. Martha's Mum talked to a Monkey, my ex-charge loved the picture of a prominent female politician on the front of a newspaper insert ...

Go figure ..

don't try and understand it, just accept it.

Your ultimate goal is to keep your charge SAFE, CLEAN, DRY and FED. Anything else is secondary really and a bonus (if it's good).

Hugs .. hang in there .. sorry it's such a useless reply .. :-(

mamaduck4 · 09-07-2006, 09:18 AM

My husband not only talks to himself often but he also talks to everyone he passes when we are at the store. When we drive by anyone whether he knows them or not he waves. I've noticed when he is angry he mumbles a lot. Doesn't make much sense but then he can't express himself anyway. The words just don't make sense but it is obvious that he is angry.