bugs

[tweetylove]

My mother has alzheimers and she says she has bugs crawling under the skin on her body. The spots she shows me are old age spots our family has had them for generations.  The problem is mom is digging at them trying to get the bugs out making lots of holes in her body. Her arms and legs look alfull but I can not stop her.  She will catch me not watching or even when she goes to the ladies she picks. Is there anything I can do to help stop this? She just does not understand she does not have bugs. That would never happen in a million years as long as I have anything to do about it.

[rumpled]

Compulsive behavior is not uncommon with dementia. You need to see the RIGHT doctor. See a geriatric specialist.

In the meantime, see if you can keep the tape out of her reach (out of the house) and find an activity to distract her.

You may want to turn off the news, turn on music and take away news either cold turkey and so it can reduce her anxiety. You are going to have to keep her busy. Puzzles, crafts, something to keep her hands busy. Large crochet needles with large yarn (if she is safe with them), and coloring (they have adult books now with paintings that are lovely now).

It may be that she needs a antihistamine (like something OTC) to help with an itch just check with the pharmacist first to make sure it does not interfere with any meds she is taking.

I would also consider a companion to keep her company and occupied?

[grandaughterconcerned123]

My Grandmother is doing the same and applies scotch tape to her face and body all day long. She had scabs and raw spots everywhere. She washes her hair up to ten times a day. When she shows me the "bugs" I only see dead skin. She has been seen by several doctors. They have not been able to find any bugs. Most of the time you would not know anything is wrong, occasionally she burst into tears. She has not been officially diagnosed with any dementia or Alzheimer's yet. Mostly because she swears it's caused by GMOs not ageing. Anyone else having a loved one that sees and feels bugs?

[Darlingsprinkles]

I agree with the first post but also agree with the second only if need to be.  My grandfather saw things that wasn't there and talked off the wall.  But always redirect their thinking.  Most of the time it works and agree with them don't disagree with them it only makes them worst and upset.  I found redirecting them really helped.  Also when he would start to get lost I would ask where you going.  He would say going to his mothers.  She would be upset if he was late.  My grandfather was 90 and his mother had pasted long ago.  I would tell him ok I will take you there as soon as I check on grandma cause she is sick.  He would say ok but if you are lying to me I will kill you.  I said ok that is a deal .  So went home and he forgot where he was going and what he said.  I found just agreeing them helps.  

[Mouseyone]

Hi -- My Dad needed some medication to help with his Alzheimer's induced agitation, suspiciousness, etc.  He used to think that someone stole his identity and was ordering things using his credit card.  Later, he began thinking that I was keeping him from going home (he needs assisted living for safety purposes as he took his car and was missing for days).  I would speak to her physician and let him/her know what your Mom is experiencing.  There's no need for her to endure those feelings and a small dose of medication will probably end the tactile hallucinations.

[Megan136]

Hi.  My mum died last February but she had Alzheimers for about 5 years before she died.  She "saw" things that weren't there - like a bear in the garden, children in her bedroom, a man at her bedroom window on a ladder, cats on top of chimney pots etc. etc.  We found that the only way to deal with this was to reassure her that the problem had been dealt with, i.e. "we've put the ladder away so the man can't get to your window any more",  "we've chased the bear out of the garden and put some bear traps down so he won't come again" etc. etc. - you get the picture.  This didn't always work immediately but we found that by identifying with the problem she had rather than just saying "don't be silly, there isn't a bear" etc. it tended to work.  She would then often go onto another problem but we would deal with that in the same way.  Maybe if you said to your Mother that you had some special cream that would make the bugs go away, but that it might take a couple of days, then put some body lotion or something on her, then she may believe that the "bugs" are going away and be distracted from them.    Hope this may be of some help to you - it worked in our case, but only AFTER we had tried the "don't be silly, there isn't a bear" tactic and realised that that way wasn't going to work.