At 101 Mom having ALZ...is hard enough, but the Paranoia is so hard to deal with. Trying to ease Mom's mind is so difficult...can't make her understand. Trying to make Mom believe otherwise is frustrating to both of us. Trying to change the subject works for a very short time...her mind is set and I don't know how to make it better. At her facility, caregivers come in at night to 'check' on residents...Mom sleeps with one eye open because she believes they're coming in to 'shop' and steal from her. This has been going on for a very long time...Mom doesn't sleep at night as a result she's exhausted during the day. The memory is gone and she hides things so 'they' won't steal them. I find them and her response is 'they brought them back'....I want to scream...Anyone have any ideas to help me?
My favorite that I am using right now during sundowning and Mom worried her daughters are lost, or in danger, or just out hanging with the boys is to tell her that sisters are on vacation on a sunny beach. Then tell her they will be back tomorrow. It works so well, it astonishes me.
You will go crazy if you try to convince her that the sky is blue when she insists that it's red.