Seeing Bugs - Just this past week!!!

[ToBeFreeToRoam]

Hi everyone,

I am back again, with another problem. I need help for me, my mom and my father. Mostly, just this past week or two, my dad says that he has been seeing lots of bugs. In the carpet, on his arm, in his food, drink or whatever.

I think that he only tells me and my mom, so far. This is what we do so far and it differs as to the situation. Please tell me/us what you think we should be doing, or what you do or have done when your AD/dementia patient has seen things/bugs.

If my mom is by herself, and the "bug" if in his food or drink, she simply gets it out or takes it and makes him a new food or drink. That seems to satisfy him, or at least he does not say anything more.

By the way, there could be a real/dead bug or two, every now and then, because my mom is a bad house keeper and will not let me or my sister or a maid help her. She has food laying all around and old food as well.

The couple of times that I have been at their house when he saw bugs, I and my mother would mostly go along with him. Like: my mom took a tea bag, that he said there were bugs in (entirely possible) and brought him a new cup of tea. When I was there today, he said he had had bugs on his arm, lots of them. And he thinks that some of them bit him. Well, I told him that my dog Alex had fleas and when we brought him over a few days ago, he probably left some at their house. I told him that they bite me and I never can see them on me. Then, I got some lotion and rubbed some on his arms. And mine too. This seemed to satifsy him this time. But, I think it made my mom jealous! :>

And a few days ago, my mom told me that he saw a big bug in the carpet and he thought it had bit him. She told him (this time), that if he could find the bug in the the carpet she would like to see it. He got down and dug and searched and did not find anything but some dirt!!!

In the past (6 - 12 mo.) he has seen some things/animals in the house. He mostly sees those at night. The others are mostly during the day.

So, all you helpful caregivers, help me!!! :> I know that this is a well known happening for alzheimers people. Also, hallucinations. By the way, what is the difference between hallucinations and seeing things? It seems like someone told this not too long ago.

Should we play along with him. And if so, what are some good ways. Or should we try to explain (how?) that he is seeing things that are not there? Or do we blame it on his medicines???

Please let me hear and I will tell my mom. And it will greatly help both of us and possibly him. Also, is there a medicine for this part of AD? I would hate to put him on more meds, but if he gets worse about this, like trying to fight them off, we would try it...

Thanks everyone. If you are busy doing Mothers Day tomorrow, I can wait til Monday. I am not going over there again until Tuesday.

Take care.

Love, Wannabe

[LuvMyLilDoggie]

Hi Wannabe!

I don't have any experience with this but I do have some thoughts.

I think you and your mom are doing a great job! You're doing the right thing. Telling your dad the bugs are not real might get your dad agitated and make the "sightings" worse or more often.

I do think these sightings need to be reported to your dad's doctor.

GREAT JOB!

Love, Barb

[ToBeFreeToRoam]

Hi Barb,

Thanks for writing back. I think it would probably agitate him. He used to be so exact - an engineer and everything would need to be just so. So, I am sure he would want not bugs!!!

I will call his family doctor on Monday. Since, I do not have to be at their house Monday, I can ask what ever I want.

I also noticed that his tremors were getting worse (Parkinsons). Unless he was just trying to shake a bunch of bugs off of his arms. Both at the same time. He is not too bad of that, yet. The tremors from Parkinsons, I mean.

Thanks again for the help.

Love, Wannabe

[Martha H]

Hi Wannabe!

Hallucinations means seeing things that are not there. Like the monkey my Mom saw and spoke to in a tree in Bill's back yard. Bill and Anna handled it just as you and your Mom do - they said 'oh really, how interesting ' .. went along with the idea, did not contradict her.

She also saw long deceased relatives, or had conversations with them, or at least she thought that the person she spoke to was a long lost relative.

There is not much you can do about it. Medications don't take it away, but if the hallucinations are causing great distress, tranquilizers help that.

Keep up the good work, but also get your plans ready for the future when your dad or both of your parents will need custodial care.

Maybe it would be a happy change for your mom if someone else did the housekeeping for her!

Love,

Martha

[BarbaraH]

Hi Wanna -

I don't know about a stage of AD that this is tied to. My mother saw and conversed with her deceased sister, but saw no bugs to my knowledge. Methinks that the doctor needs this information.

I'd suggest you use this to be the excuse that gets a hired cleaning service into that house at least once. Tell you mother this might really help your father (dad is the favorite) not bother her (mom is the favorite) with things he thinks he sees and it's worth a try to give her some peace (mom is the favorite again, so she wins).

Companies like Merry Maids have employees that are not only really nice, but are bonded, too. You can be assured that stuff won't disappear. I used them before a Christmas party years ago and was very pleased. All I had to do was provide a roll of paper towels and Christmas music. You tell them what you need done and can even get the windows and picture frames cleaned. Perhaps at your parent's home, cleaning for the kitchen and bathrooms, then dusting and vacuuming for the rest of the house would be enough, get rid of the bugs, and not drive your mother crazy. It is important to eliminate the health hazard. Once of the main reasons that I moved my mother to an ALF was that she'd forgotten how to cook and to store food safely. My Mom's kitchen and the contents of her refrigerator were scary and dangerous.

It may be time for a pow-wow with your sister if your mother refuses the cleaning crew.

Happy Mother's Day and ((((((((((hugs))))))))))) Barbara