Hallucinations mean seeing, hearing, or feeling something that is not there, so stay calm and comfort the person without arguing. Delusions mean holding a false belief as true despite proof, so acknowledge the feeling, give a short simple answer, then redirect. The Alzheimer's Society UK links recurrent, well-formed visual hallucinations to dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia. If the moment is calm and safe, you can let it pass and keep watching for distress.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- How to tell which is happening
- What should you do for hallucinations?
- What should you do for delusions and suspicion?
- When should you call the doctor right away?
How to tell which is happening
The National Institute on Aging defines the difference in its guide to hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. Hallucinations are false sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touch sensations, while delusions are fixed beliefs held as real despite contrary proof.
The same source describes paranoia as groundless belief that others lie, act unfairly, act meanly, or plot harm. A hallucination is seeing a child in a chair, while a delusion is insisting a caregiver stole money despite the wallet in a drawer.
What should you do for hallucinations?
The Alzheimer's Association advises leaving a calm hallucination alone in its hallucinations care guidance. If the person feels frightened or may act unsafely, reassure with calm words and gentle touch and do not argue about what is seen.
Check vision and hearing aids, lighting, and noise, because poor vision or hearing can worsen symptoms. Note what happened, when it started, and what helped, so you can share clear details later.
- Stay close, speak slowly, and say you are here to help.
- Offer touch, a blanket, or a move to a brighter room.
- Remove sharp objects, block unsafe exits, and stay with the person.
What should you do for delusions and suspicion?
The Alzheimer's Association recommends staying kind and steady instead of arguing in its suspicions and delusions guidance. Listen, name the feeling, give one brief simple answer, then invite a different activity.
For "stolen" claims, search together and show the found item without proving the person wrong. Taking offense or long explanations often raise tension, so keep answers short.
- Say you will help look, then replace or duplicate a missing item.
- Avoid blame or debate, and keep your tone even.
- Shift to music, a walk, a snack, or sorting photos.
When should you call the doctor right away?
The Alzheimer's Association lists illness, kidney or bladder infection, dehydration, pain, poor vision or hearing, alcohol or drug use, and prescription medicines as triggers. The National Institute on Aging urges prompt reporting of new or sudden symptoms and a review of illnesses and medicines.
FDA drug labeling warns that adults with dementia-related psychosis face about 1.6 to 1.7 times higher death risk on antipsychotics in the haloperidol label. Those drugs are not approved for that use, so calm reassurance and redirection stay first. Bring a current medicine list and note fluids, pain, vision, hearing, and recent infections.
