Is my 68-year-old mom’s sudden hallucinating a sign of early dementia?

[Anonymous]

1) she said she saw her deceased second husband sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch this morning.

2) Later during the day, she saw a Coyote by the chicken coop and it got away. She claimed to me that the Coyote was "Moya" (one of her pig customers) and that he was come back from deportation to steal her chickens of all things. WTF?

This is all of a sudden out of the blue, like she suddenly lost her mind today and started talking irrationally about things.

I don't know what to do about this, but I have to tell my brother and sister for starters, because this is crazy. I'm already losing my own mind, and I'm in no condition to care for another adult who may be having dementia. She's only 68 years old. I'm 45 and medically disabled.

[DishLady]

Ok, so first of all if you're dealing with your own disability, you should make sure to tend to yourself and leave primary care of your mom to one (or both) of your siblings.

68 is pretty up there in terms of preliminary dementia/alzheimers flare-ups, so it's important for her doctors to be aware of what's going on and to check her for a few things.

I will ask, though -- and no judgement -- if she happened to get into some shrooms or peyote or something... Bc that's honestly what it sounds like. Some "animal spirit journey" thingy.

I add this last bit bc of her age -- it's a common thing for that generation -- and because it sounds similar to what my 65 year old goofball friend went through after going to some odd event with an odd crowd.

[Asker]

No, it's not drugs or alcohol. Both I and my mother are tee-totallers. We never touch any mind-altering substances. The only medication she is on is a blood pressure medicine.

In the case of the Coyote, a camera on our property did see the Coyote, but why she thought the Coyote was somehow connected to her customer, Moya, is beyond me.

I'm just goint to monitor the situation closely and see whether she has any other delusions or hallucinations.

Curiously a few months ago she was having memory problems, and she even asked me whether she might be experiencing Alzheimer's symptoms. At the time, I told her, "No, you're always searching for words when you're tired or excited anyway."

I might have been wrong back then though. Maybe she is starting to get some dementia or something worse for God's sake. It's scary.

[Anonymous]

Dementia doesn't cause delusions like not knowing someone is dead

[Massageman]

I would bring her to your family doc for a check-up and possible referral out to a specialist.

[DryGermanGuy]

Sounds more like a stroke or a brain aneurysm. Bring her to an MD.

[Iron_Man]

You better get her checked out immediately on Monday if you can afford it if not, get health insurance

[Anonymous]

That sounds like a late sign of advanced dementia.

[canamlusciouslad73]

Sounds thay way. Get her to her doctor ASAP !!!

[Agape93]

Nope that ain't dementia.