Try: Paranoia delusions and hallucinations are some of the most common symptoms of dementia although the causes of these symptoms can vary with the Care recipient (cr) here are some of the more common possible causes physiological or medical causes sensory deficits especially diminished hearing and low vision and also diminished taste medications particularly hormones in combination with antidepressants the cr should be monitored for side effects from medication and overdosage brain damage due to alzheimer’s disease progression physical trauma from a blow to the head during a fall or other accident malnutrition including low fluid intake resulting in undernourishment of the brain psychiatric illness concurrent with alzheimer’s disease remember that alzheimer’s disease is not a psychiatric illness – it’s a physical illness memory loss due to brain changes and damage physical illness such as infection fever pain or fecal impaction physical illness such as anemia or respiratory disease which reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain environmental causes unfamiliar environment due to a move away from home unrecognized environment unrecognized caregivers disruption in routines removal of items from the person such as money or jewelry inadequate lighting particularly in evening misinterpretation of things in the environment due to too much going on diminished hearing or sight or non-use of sensory aids glasses and hearing aids this misinterpretation seems very normal when we put ourselves in the cr’s situation social isolation social isolation with the resulting lack of feedback from familiar others friends and family members may tend to avoid the cr who has paranoia delusions and hallucinations however the cr desperately needs the reassurance and reality orientation that these familiar people can provide information references
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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical
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Keywords: Dementia accusing accusatory defensive seeing things hearing things
*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed