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How do you Respond to Hallucinations in Seniors with Dementia?

Donna Nichols • February 13, 2023

Did you know that dementia can cause someone to hallucinate? They can see, feel, taste, or hear something that is not there, but to them it is very real. Not all of these hallucinations are scary or bad, sometimes they are pleasant; maybe they see a loved one who passed and are communicating with them again.



No matter what the hallucination may be, do not discredit it; remember, it is very real to them. Validate the hallucination, respond accordingly to their feelings and most importantly, keep them safe.


How should you respond when someone you love is having hallucinations? Let’s see if some of our tips can help you out.


1.     Figure out if you need to respond to the hallucination. If it is a pleasant one, you may need not interfere. However, if it is a disturbing hallucination, you may need to intervene and clam them down, or try a different activity to get their mind off of it.


2.     Keep explanations about what is happening short. If you give them a long, drawn-out explanation, they won’t understand. Remember, their brain doesn’t work like it used to and they cannot comprehend things anymore. Keep it short and simple.


3.     Stay calm and provide reassurance. You must remain calm during the hallucination and don’t argue with them, telling them it is a hallucination and they area imagining it. This will only enrage them. Remember, the hallucination is very real to them and you need to go along with it.


4.     Check for triggers. There can be many triggers in the house that can cause hallucinations. If the television or radio is on, this can cause them to believe other people are in the house. If the room is dark and you have a dim light on, this can sometimes make it look like shadows are in the room and can cause fear. Mirrors are not good in the house for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s (refer to our blog, The Challenges of Mirrors for Someone with Alzheimer’s). Remove all possible triggers.


5.     Look for patterns in the hallucinations. Does your loved one hallucinate around the same time each day? Is it when you are watching tv or listening to the news? Is it when you are talking on the phone? Keep a log of when these hallucinations happen to try and figure out what can be triggering them if it not apparent.


6.     Have a conversation with them. If they are hearing voices, try chatting with them. They cannot hear the voices if you are speaking to them. If they’re seeing visions, get to their eye level and start chatting, they won’t be able to concentrate on the vision with you in their line of sight.


7.      Talk to their doctor. Hallucinations could be a result of a medical condition such as, a head injury, dehydration, a urinary tract infection, or maybe a kidney infection. Seek help immediately if you think the hallucinations could be caused from a medical condition.


8.     Get support for yourself. Caring for someone is very stressful, adding the fact that they are having hallucinations increases YOUR stress level. Join an Alzheimer’s caregiver support group. Assisted Living Made Simple holds four such groups a month in Volusia County. PLEASE seek help, you are not alone!

Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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