Re: Out of ideas - Capgras Syndrome?

March 27, 2012

I think your father is experiencing Capgras syndrome, which is common with

people with LBD. They often think that they are seeing an imposter or they

do not recognise someone, such as their wife.

I remember my husband Jim used to say things to me like " Do you like kissing

strange men? " if I gave him a kiss. Or he would say " Why are you kissing

me? " If I replied, " Because I'm your wife " he would laugh in a strange way

as though I was crazy, and definitely not his wife!

I often ended up handling this with humour. Once when I was getting into bed

he said " Do you like sleeping with strange men? " and I just laughed and said

" Yes, isn't this fun " and he seemed to accept it!

I have heard others in this group say that they have left the room when

their partner has not recognised them and come back in a few minutes later

to say something like " the lady out there says you are looking for your wife

.... and here I am " ... or if they didn't think they were in their own house,

they would take them in the car for a drive around the block, arrive back at

the house and tell them they were now home.

I think that when they have a definite idea or hallucination about

something, it is difficult to try and persuade them of a reality that isn't

real to them. Often 'playing along' with the false ideas works.

Once Jim was convinced at 3 am that there was a party happening in our

house and he was chatting loudly away. It woke me up and when he told me

that there was a party in the bedroom, I got out of bed, called out in a

loud voice " thanks for coming to the party. Jim would like to go to sleep

now so it's time to go home. " I then opened the front door (right next to

our bedroom door), called out " Good night, thanks for coming " then closed

the door. Jim settled down and went straight to sleep!

Or if he saw animals in the house, I would act as though I was picking the

animal up and take it outside or to a " safe place " .

Elaine from Sydney Australia

Carer for four years for husband Jim who died peacefully in hospital on 12th

February 2011.

Brain analysis, as a result of brain donation, has now confirmed the

diagnosis of Diffuse Lewy Body Disease

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