Elderly relative having hallucinations

[Fuckadoodledoooo]

They have been having them for quite a while. They keep phoning to ask if I dropped my children there as they keep seeing them in the house.

They say when they try to speak to them, they disappear.

They have spoken to their GP several times who keeps telling them it's stress and to go for more walks to relax.

It's not stress. I work with dementia patients. It could be anything from an infection to the start of mental decline (they are 85 and live alone).

But because the GP has said it's stress several times, they are now leaving it.

I live a long way from them so there is little I can do.

I'm so upset over it.

(Before anyone say it, I am loathe to call their GP myself as I had to take action against that particular GP 20 years ago myself as they wouldn't refer me for something that turned out to be cancer - saying it was mental illness instead. I had to get a private diagnosis. This GP still tells my relative that I am wrong and that they shouldn't listen to me - their cancer was dismissed as well by this practice, they saw 3 GPs there who dismissed them, I paid for a private consultation and they were diagnosed. But still, my relative thinks these GPs at the practice are all knowing).

This shouldn't be ignored.

This is terrible. I can't believe the GP spoke to you like that. When we suspected my mum had dementia it was incredibly difficult to get her to agree to go to the doctor. As soon as she had the memory test, she was quite quickly referred and the family were taken seriously - but very hard to get to that first visit.

@Candleabra

This is terrible. I can't believe the GP spoke to you like that. When we suspected my mum had dementia it was incredibly difficult to get her to agree to go to the doctor. As soon as she had the memory test, she was quite quickly referred and the family were taken seriously - but very hard to get to that first visit.

Long history with this surgery. Like I said I had to take action over their treatment of me. I deregistered and went totally private after that but there is still resentment and they've never let my dad forget it - especially when we made complaints again after we had to go private to get his cancer diagnosed.

A relative of mine had this and it was also Charles Bonet syndrome. Could you look into that?

A relative of mine with macular degeneration also had Charles Bonnet syndrome, he regularly saw strangers in the doorway and sometimes children sitting in the chair.

He called again says he looked out the window and could see dogs sitting in his car.

I told him to call 111 (he has been trying the GP surgery all morning, he was 55th in the queue, got cut off after an hour, tried a again, same).

The said they are sending a "team" round to see him in the next six hours. He didn't know what they meant.

Who will be going to see him?

He's 3 hour drive away so I'm useless here. I've asked him to FaceTime me when they arrive.

Could be the urgent care team? So maybe a nurse practitioner and a therapist, either physio or OT? I’m guessing obviously.

It’s good that he has been able to contact someone for help.

So worrying for you when you aren’t able to be there

I'm so pleased that someone is going to see him. I hope he does as you asked, and that he facetimes you when they arrive.
You must be feeling so worried and frustrated. I hope this afternoon's visit helps to get him in a better situation.

He said they didn't come, someone phoned him and asked him a few questions. Said he sounded fine but to call back at 10:30 tommorow and they will give him some medication "to sort it out"

I asked what medication, he said he didn't ask.

I don't actually believe he called anyone.

I agree with you OP, the earlier it’s caught the better. This exact thing happened to my aunt.
Isn’t there more than one GP at the practice? Or contact adult social services at the local authority.

Go to your M.P or ombudsman if the GP won’t pull to their finger out.

@Suzi888

I agree with you OP, the earlier it’s caught the better. This exact thing happened to my aunt. Isn’t there more than one GP at the practice? Or contact adult social services at the local authority.

Go to your M.P or ombudsman if the GP won’t pull to their finger out.

He's seen all 4 GPs.

When he saw the 4th they were quite rude to him about not trusting what the others had said and said it shows he was stressed and anxious.

They really are shit. I would've died at age 21 had I listened to the main dr at that practice.

I’m sorry to hear that, I’ve had a bad experience myself too.

Could you change his medical practice?
He needs a proper assessment, I’d call adult social services and see if someone can come out to assess him.

I second calling Social Services, but as they will only assess him with his consent you may need to do a 3-way conversation with him on the line. If that won't work, call SS yourself and say you are concerned as your df is a vulnerable adult, explaining why you believe him to be vulnerable.

It could also be Delirium. My mother had this, along with Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia.
Delirium is often misdiagnosed.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delirium

ZaZathecat

Assessment process:

Person needs a social care assessment. Does not give consent.
Relative rings in, explains that there are doubts regarding capacity.

Social care:
Shall we arrange a three way video call? This will allow for mire information to be discussed, still no need to assess.

Capacity is observed within guidelines of Mental Capacity Act.

Person is deemed to have capacity, still declines assessment, deemed as unwise decision by client, no further action other than provision of information of universal services such as home care agencies.

Person is deemed to lack capacity. Next step is a Best Interest meeting/discussion with the client, and their support network.
All risks are discussed, including risk of not intervening.
Decision is made in the persons best interest. This is a legally binding decision, but obviously care and skill will be utilised to engage with the client regarding services and health intervention if needed.

OP, please contact the teams I have suggested tomorrow. You need to do this to prevent the situation becoming a crisis.

Have they been checked for a UTI?

My df had hallucinations caused at different times by a urine infection, low sodium, dehydration, sepsis. As pp said they need to do blood tests and a urine test as a minimum. We had gps who didn’t and he always ended up in hospital a few hours after the gp said he was fine. You do whatever you need to, you’re his advocate. Hope you get some help for him & you’re ok too 💐

Just checking in Fuckadoodledoooo
How is he doing today?

Hi, he says his dr called him today and told him he's fine.

I don't think he's spoken to anyone. I asked about the pills he was supposed to be getting? He tripped himself up over lies trying to cover up tha t her forgotten he told me.

There's a long history. A few years ago, before his actual cancer, he told me be had another cancer. I gave up my job to care for him. The stress almost cost my marriage, we ended up losing our
Home.

It was a lie.

I'm torn between thinking it's real and it being just another ploy to guilt me into having him come and live with us (we rent a tiny crappy house, there's no chance).

Urine infection or Lewy body dementia?

Or a pack of lies to try and get me to live my life around him again like I did from the age of 20?

Sorry, that was belligerent. But I've had enough today. What ever it is he can sort himself out.

My husband has noticed a pattern that's all. When ever I try to pull away, there is some health crisis.

I would speak to social services and say he is vulnerable AND very manipulative of you and you cannot deal with him anymore.

Perhaps from now on just sympathise with him but take no action?

Ah, well, with that background it does sound as if he could be manipulating you.

Could you start keeping a diary of all your conversations with him? See if there is a pattern?

He got really bad over the past few days texting me on the middle of the night to say there were people talking to him, asking me why I was in his kitchen said he could see me.

I can't take it. I put his house on the market glide him yesterday said he could live with us until he found a place here.......

And now he's fine.

Said he went to the doctor and they said it was a side effect of his covid vaccine. Absolute bollocks. He had his vaccine in Jan. he's been saying he can see people since last summer.

Now he's back to normal, looking at houses online, calling agebts.

I'm dunking broken. He's lied again. I'll have no life again. I've never had any life, any friends because when ever I've lived near him I ha t to be his world. He used to drive to my house and stare though the windows until I let him in. Drive by to see if my car was there.

I once had the opportunity of a lifetime to move to Australia with my ex husband. That time he said the arthritis in his knee was getting worse, that the drs told him in 5 years he would be in a wheelchair, that I couldn't leave him all alone. So we didn't go. My ex never forgave me, his career d
Suffered and it was one of the main factors in our divorce. That was 13 years ago. He's not in a wheelchair. He can still walk fine with a stick. It was to stop me from going.

He'll do it here too.