My dad have really short memory and he talks to himself all of the time loudly as if hes talking to someone else but lately when he looks in the mirror he think its some else, I tried to convince him by taking picture of him and tell him that its just a mirror and your looking at your self, but he says he is a wizard or ghost and that that explains how he can look like him.
This problem is creating a lot of family fighting since he gets mad why we let some one we don't know live in our house. he some time accuse him for stealing things, when its just him forgetting where he left his stuff. He is really lonely since we all have school and job to do while hes at home alone, I think this is the reason for this I try to send some time with him but that isn't fixing the problem, my dad and my mom fight a lot and they don't sleep together now everyone sleep in their on. Hes going through really rough time, and I wondering how I can convince him that its just a mirror?!
Sorry if have spelling mistakes I am just 16 years old and English isn't my native language.
I hope there is solution for this!
When someone with Alzheimer's gets to a certain stage they no longer remember themselves as they are. They feel younger - with time even like a teenager or a child, so they don’t recognize that “old person” in the mirror. That's also why they don't remember a spouse - they may remember the person they married as a young person and this person is no longer young (even though your dad is likely not that old, either).
Mirrors show them strangers. Often they think it's an intruder. Since the family is trying to be logical and assure him that he's looking at himself, he's making up excuses. Unfortunately, he can no longer be logical. Your family may want to read this article:
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/validation-therapy-for-dementia-166707.htm
I would also suggest that they look Agingcare.com over carefully for more help. For your sake and your family's go to the Alzheimer's Association website www.alz.org and learn all about Alzheimer's disease. They also offer a lot of support. There is a teen support group on that site and also on the Alzheimer's Foundation of America site at www.Alzfdn.org.
The Alzheimer's Foundation's brain tour at http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_4719.asp?_ga=1.187594664.1832356634.1400765255 will give you and your parents a very graphic idea of what is happening to your dad. It can be looked at in several languages.
Education is essential to handle someone with Alzheimer's disease. Your dad can't help what is happening. His brain is being eaten up by this disease. It's heart breaking and will put you all through many trials. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.
Carol
Then, when I was age 23, mom was diagnosed with dementia. We went thru the stages by hit-and-run. We didn't have a computer where we can learn what mom had. She went thru the accusation stage. The anger stage. The refusal to take her pills stage (found it between the sofa cushions or under the sofa) to help with the violence stage.
It never failed. When we would take mom to the bathroom to shower her, and I forget to open the medicine cabinet mirror, she would see herself. And go from calm mom to aggressive, very angry (and scary!) looking mother. Her Face Literally changed. It was .... scary. Because I wasn't familiar with dementia, I thought that when mom's face changed like that, that she was being possessed by our deceased ancient scary ancestor's spirit.
A person who is going down the road of senility- loses their logical minds. Their brain cells synapses are all messed up and sending the wrong signals. They look in the mirror. A logical person would look and Know that is themselves. A person who has dementia or going senile - looks in the mirror and sees a Stranger. You cannot reason with them because their synapses in the brain is all messed up.
It's like how I sometimes Read the numbers 489235 but I then write down 498235. Or I read the words 'Cat's tail' but in my mind, I say 'coattail'. You know what I mean? My eyes and my brain sometimes miss each other. But an older person's brain is not just a 'sometimes' miss. It's a permanent dying process of their brain. And their memory is going to get worse and worse.
So, accept that mirrors are no longer Safe to leave uncovered. I say 'safe' because as they progress in their dementia, they may become violent. I don't want your father to see himself, see a stranger there, and attack the mirror. He might break the mirror and hurt himself. Yes, cover the mirrors.
Also, as a heads up, if pictures or paintings of people start to irritate him -like the mirrors irritate him - then start covering those pictures. Or put it away for now. It's really best to read up on Alzheimer so that you know what to expect. I'm still learning....
There is no way to convince him of your reality. Using anti anxiety medication can help to reduce these episodes.
The key is to recognize these limitations and deflect, move past, or redirect them to something more positive.
Either remove the mirrors, or cover them. Or even tell him you're going to have a heart to heart talk with the mirror person and tell him/her to go away. Then cover the mirror, or put up a photo of a peaceful mountain scene or something inaminate but beautiful.
Is there a way we can help him believe that its just a mirror, if not we will have to block all the mirrors in the house.
Thank you for reading!