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Alzheimers or psychosis

For years I would hear my mother in her bedroom at night talking. I had assumed she was on the phone. Finally, I actually listened to her conversation and it appeared she may be talking to herself. I checked the phone lines and sure enough she was having a conversation with herself.This has been going on for years.

Recently, I am finding a new place to live because my lease at the apartment is up.I have been in the apartment for 2 years, and prior to that I lived at my moms house. I asked my mother if I could stay at her house again for 2 or 3 months, while paying her rent, as this would allow me to save more money. My mother told me that she was hestitant stating that I did not pay her rent for the last 11 months that I had previously lived with her. This of course is untrue. I paid her rent, each month, the correct amount and on time. This is not the first time something like this has happened, but the prior incidents didnt seem as bad as this. Either my mother is simply lying which may be her way of telling me no, I cant stay there, or she really believes that I did not pay her rent. I have a strong feeling that she really believes this.

Of all the reading I've done, I am not sure exactly what may be the problem. I am leading towards Alzheimers or Psychosis. I have no idea what type of doctor she needs to see or how to encourage her that she needs to see someone.

please help.
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4851940 tn?1515694593
It does appear that your mother has a very poor memory.  This may be to do with the stress, anxiety and depression, from dementia or early onset of Altzheimers.

If you still wish to live with your mother for a short time and want to pay rent, do get a rent book.  These are not expensive to buy from the stationery store and you can then give her the money and get her to sign her initial next to the amount and the date when you give her the cash.

We all have a problem with our memories from time to time, and when my children paid me board, I bought a little rent book, that way there was no arguments whether they thought they paid and hadn't or I thought they had paid and didn't.

The other consideration to think about as your mum has a poor memory, is what is she going to do with the cash that you give to her?  Will she put this to paying for the utility bills?  You could come up with a different arrangement that you pay for the groceries that will feed the both of you.

If decide that you still want to stay with your mum, when you ask her again, do say that you will get a rent book so that any money you pay will get logged.

Hope you can work something out.

Your mum does need help, but it is difficult if she will not accept that she has a problem.

Best of luck.

Helpful - 0
212161 tn?1599427282
COMMUNITY LEADER
Yes I agree if she believes that than somewhere something has gone wrong,  sorry ya have a hard time, so that makes it hard for you to see what's going on with her

You can only do what you can do so don't blame yourself

I know they will repeat their self that's how most can tell, or they will do something and say they didn't, like my mother in law, would buy cake mixes everytime she went to the store, my father in law went into pantry one day saw 25 cake mixes ask her why, she told him it was not her buying them it was him,

They get confused easy to, only thing you can do is when your around her just watch, if you have brothers or sisters talk to them, if not a neighbor or one of her friends you know and can trust.

I hope this works out for you and her
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thx for the reply. As far as I am aware she does consult a doctor regularly, but obviously not for these reasons.

As far as repeating things, no, not that I have noticed. She divorced back around 1997ish. She's always been a very negative person. After the divorce she pretty much has always been alone, and our relationship went downhill from there, even though it was never that great. I think there may be some depression, as well as things relating to other medical issues, as well as medications. Loneliness as well.

I have seen numerous things that lead me to believe she is not thinking clearly, as well as denial about things. I have tried to talk to her in the past and as soon as i start discussing her, and the issues and help she may need, she will always ignore it, doing whatever she can to end the conversation.

From some of these issues, I would lean more towards depression, however, especially after what just happend from her stating that I did not pay rent for almost a year, which was untrue, if she truly believes that, I think that would be a little more than depression.
Helpful - 0
212161 tn?1599427282
COMMUNITY LEADER
hi, first i would have her see her reg dr, they will send her for test or to the right dr from there ,

yes sad to say they will not remember things, mom used to eat and 5 mins later say she had not ate all day, its very sad to see them go that way, my prayers are she's ok and just does not remember or is trying to say no in a nice way.lol either way i would have her checked,

is she repeating herself, telling you things two or three times a day that she already told you, thats a good sign of alz

i hope you get to stay with her so you can watch and see whats going on with her
Helpful - 0
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