8 Ways to Deal With False Dementia Accusations

by Connie Chow for DailyCaring

Seniors with dementia might make terrible accusations

“You stole my wallet and all my money!”
“You’re keeping me prisoner in my house!”
“You’re trying to poison me!”

Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia commonly accuse the people closest to them of theft, mistreatment, or other terrible things.

While cases of true abuse do exist, oftentimes these accusations are completely untrue and are caused by delusions – strong beliefs in things that aren’t real.

It’s important to remember that your older adult isn’t creating these delusions to hurt you.

Their brains are failing and the delusions and paranoia are symptoms of the disease.

We explain why this happens and share 8 ways to calm the situation and kindly deal with these dementia accusations.

Why seniors with dementia make false dementia accusations

Their accusations may sound crazy, but the situation is very real to your older adult.

Their minds are trying to make sense of the world while their cognitive abilities are declining.

People with dementia often feel anxiety, frustration, and a sense of loss. Those feelings, plus memory loss and confusion, can easily lead to paranoia.

That’s why many seniors with dementia feel like people are stealing from them or mistreating them.

8 ways to deal with false dementia accusations

1. Don’t take it personally
2. Don’t argue or use logic to convince
3. Use a calm, soothing tone and positive body language
4. Create a calm environment
5. Stick to simple answers
6. Distract with a pleasant activity
7. Keep duplicates of frequently misplaced items
8. Seek support and advice from people who understand

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