Alzheimer’s: Theft, Paranoia or Forgetfulness?
…The truth, as they see it, is still the truth in their eyes. Delusions, hallucinations, agitation, aggression and depression are all part of the gradual progression of psychosis of patients with Alzheimer ’s disease (AD). An average of 41% of these patients will experience these psychotic symptoms. One of the most common delusions these patients have are theft-related. An experienced caregiver offers her advice on how to deal with accusations of theft, which are common in dementia patients.
“She took my sweater!” Victoria says. “I saw her. She stole it! That woman took the sweater my mother made for me!”
But did someone actually steal Victoria’s sweater, or is dementia stealing her mind? Victoria, the lady ranting about her sweater, was sitting in her wheelchair. I had offered to take her down to the nursing home’s main dining room on my way to sit with my mother-in-law. I was familiar with Victoria, a resident at my mother-in-law’s facility. Once she was finished eating, she would order me (or anyone nearby) to take her out of the dining room and place her in a certain spot in the sitting room. This spot was an exact number of inches away from the end table. This positioning was vitally important to her and she liked me, since I knew precisely where that spot was.
Victoria also had a thing about her red sweater. Even though she claimed it was a handmade heirloom, it was obviously purchased at a store. The tag was still on it, even though it was faded. She wore the sweater daily until a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) would finally tell her enough was enough. She would be told that the sweater was getting washed and it would be returned the next day. Victoria had a closet full of sweaters, but that did not matter. She wanted her red one. That red one. Anyone who took anything away from Victoria was a thief in her mind.
Theft, Paranoia or Forgetfulness?
People with dementia often get paranoid about their personal belongings being stolen. There is a reason behind some of this behavior. They feel vulnerable, especially in the stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia where they realize that they cannot remember. If they want to put…
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