Has anyone else noticed a significant change in a loved one with dementia regarding paranoia when they’re outside?

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Has anyone else noticed a significant change in a loved one with dementia regarding paranoia when they’re outside?

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I just wanted to ask this and also share at the same time as I can’t find anything relevant online. My husband has Alzheimer’s and suffers with paranoia/delusions. He also gets agitated at times. However I’ve noticed when we sit outside his whole mood changes and he’s settled and much calmer and happier. We can go back indoors and his mood/behavior changes almost immediately. Again we can go back outdoors and he’s calm again. I can’t seem to find anything about this other than it’s recommended for dementia patients to have fresh air etc. I just wanted to share this in case others are experiencing something similar.

Alzheimer's & Dementia Dementia Behaviors Senior Activities

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He might be calmer with more sunlight exposure (not directly, of course). I know that some people are sensitive to the amount of sunlight they receive daily. Those who do not get enough sunlight daily/weekly can develop depression. Seems your hubby does something like this but develops anxiety and agitation.

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My mom has paranoia regarding windows. The moment it becomes dusk, she insists that all windows and blinds should be closed. If they are not closed right away, she becomes very agitated.

It's a weird disease.

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Debb55: Even though my mother did not have dementia, she loved to be outside in her screen house, sometimes entertaining guests and sometimes by herself.

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Yes but it was the opposite with my dad. All his life he loved being outdoors. When he was in the last year with dementia he was always freaked out when we were outside and didn’t want to stay out. He was much more secure back in his room.

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I've noticed similar with my mother. She has a general Dx of dementia.

I've noticed that she is infinitely more settled when we get outdoors. I haven't done any specific research about this, but I've sort of come to my own conclusion. Maybe it makes sense. Maybe not. None of this dementia stuff makes sense to me.

Anyway, I think she is happier outdoors because she can feel like she can see anything or anyone around her. There are no confining barriers to affect her relative position in the world around her. When she is inside, she gets agitated and paranoid about her neighbor, who has - in her mind- drilled holes in the wall to put up her television and they went all the way through the wall and now the neighbor can be clearly heard in Mom's room (I see no holes and what I hear is a loud television for a deaf woman). Mom also speaks quietly because she feels the neighbor can hear everything she says. She is also fearful of everyone hiding around corners talking about her in the great room. And afraid that while she is out of her room, other residents are coming into her room and stealing her stuff. All of her fears and paranoias revolve around someone out of sight doing something to impact her. I have come to believe (based on some of what she has said) that losing your memory must be something like seeing shadows, so you become suspicious of what you can no longer "see" (memory). You compensate by trying to reconcile what you can see with what you think you should be able to see.

It's a theory.

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Modern buildings are so airtight and built of materials that 'outgas' and can throw off many bodily systems; just the EMFs (electro magnetic frequencies) and even fluorescent bulbs disturb the nervous and other systems; some folks more sensitive that way than others, but the harm is still there. Being outdoors exposes a body to more Negative Ions (as in a forest or beside a body of water) which is uplifting to the body. Pure daylight, not behind glass windows, also influences the health of the body in several ways. It's very interesting you notice these changes so quickly, a good testimony we could all learn from!

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Yes, yes, yes. My mom was always happier sitting outside watching the neighborhood happenings, going for long drives to the mountains, or taking short walks. She still hallucinated, but what she was seeing was not as distressing when she was outside. I'm happier outside too, especially if I can see into the distance in an open space at a lake or trail. I understand. Inside, she liked to sit at a window and just look out.

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My mom is like that.When weather was nice I would visit her outside.She was calm, talkative ,understandable sometimes and and interested in her surroundings.When she goes back in that side of her is gone again

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Nature addresses all the senses............not the same as sitting in a home with walls.

Sight (Vision)
Hearing (Auditory)
Smell (Olfactory)
Taste (Gustatory)
Touch (Tactile)
Vestibular (Movement): the movement and balance sense, which gives us information about where our head and body are in space.

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This really isn't answering your question specifically but I have always felt a huge lifting of life's burdens when I step outdoors...particularly if there's an area with an expansive view. It feels to me like my worries are drawn from my body and dispersed in the air, leaving me feeling much calmer. Alternatively, being indoors too much has generally led to me feeling somewhat caged in after a while. I've never thought much of it -- just make sure, for my mental health, that I get outdoors frequently. But perhaps something like this is going on with your father. As far as I know I don't have any mental health issues -- though others may disagree with this statement. Haha!

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We had the same thing. My mom, with Alzheimer's, lived with us. She too had delusions, anxiety, and paranoia, that seemed to improve outdoors. She played golf when she was younger, and always enjoyed the outdoors, whether she was walking around the neighborhood or walking on a golf course. I'm so glad you wrote this, because Hubby and I thought we were the only ones who were dealing with this particular type of behavior. I think my mom just enjoyed the sense of freeedom, the breeze, the sunshine, etc. I think she sometimes felt "trapped" in the house, even though I took her anywhere she wanted to go. I think she liked the expanse of the outdoors. Sometimes when the weather wasn't conducive for her to be walking in it, I'd just drive her around a bit, and that seemd to quell her anxiety for a while. We were outdoors, even if confined within a car. Good luck. I've walked in your shoes, literally, sometimes chasing my mom down the street when she'd wander.

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Perhaps you can make the inside of his home cheerier by bringing some of the outdoor elements inside. Allow as much light as you can to enter by rolling up blinds and pulling away drapes, and re-fit lamps with brighter LED lights. De-clutter wherever you can. Bring nature inside by inserting plants and flowers indoors. Play music, especially the music of his era-this works like a charm with most seniors. If you have an Amazon Echo, you can also get it to play nature sounds, which may be soothing to him. Best of luck!

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Wonderful ideas and you are correct! Light is critical in dealing with Sundowning. I am considering the Feng Shui set up and philosophy. Makes a great deal of sense to me. I also like the music suggestion as well. Thank you and I love this forum as it helps greatly knowing I am not alone in all this. xoxoxo

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Try covering the mirrors and leaving the tv on. My beloved FIL had Lewy Bodies dementia and thought that his reflection was someone “bad,” and trying to take his wife and home away. When he glimpsed his reflection, he would whisper to us, “there’s that guy again.” Any reflective surface like windows or a tv screen would trigger the delusion.

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He is probably Hallucinating - have you spoken to a psychiatrist about this ? paranoia and OCD Is common ( Obsessive compulsive disorder ) You are Lucky he calms down when he is outside .

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Is it possible where your husband is now being cared for, that a small bird feeder could be placed outside his window? As an enticement to look outside as opposed to fixating on what he is finding distressing inside. Also, there are channels on Youtube where there's really nice (not cheesy) guitar music playing and changing outdoorsy scenes for hours-I think one is about four hours long. I enjoy the web cams of the Monterey Aquarium, fun to watch, if he has computer access. Is it possible to add a bit more of the outside to his inside? If living plants aren't ok there, some of the plastic ones at Marshalls look pretty good-and seem to reasonably priced. When I can get my husband out of the house, he's a bit resistant, he really enjoys himself. So far, paranoia has yet to be a problem. Lucky you to be living in California, l love it there!

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A dementia patient needs to be kept in a comfortable familiar environment and a routine critical. Otherwise, they become agitated, confused and scared. My husband still goes out for his little walk and stays in his lane, so to speak. Take him out of it and would not be good. It is interestng how the brain functions with dementia! Some areas very functional and others not. I give him chores to do and keep his mind stimulated so he can function as long as possible. He gets a bit mixed up but really does quite well for now. We all know "sadly", this does not get better.

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My first thought was to see if there is a lot of clutter...clutter can stress people out....and if he likes the outdoors, maybe a wall mural (they take a while to put up, but can come down pretty quickly I believe) where he can feel like he's looking at a forest...?

And it may not be likely, but I wonder if someone inside is abusive or mean to him?

I don't know if any of these thoughts will be helpful, but I hope you are able to find the answer. It sounds distressing.

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My mom was the opposite. She would get very nervous when she was outside. Even when she still had her own apartment. I'd suggest we sit out on the balcony and she'd immediately get all tense. So I guess it's different with everyone.

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Probably your husband suffers from claustrophobia as well. When he is indoors he feels trapped.

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There is lots of evidence to support exactly what you say! My mother with advanced dementia is in MUCH better spirits when she sits outside in the garden of her Memory Care AL than when she's indoors.

Check out this article:

https://happiful.com/dementia-and-the-importance-of-the-outdoors/

Glad you live in a climate where DH can enjoy the outside year round. I wonder if a large nature mural on the wall in his room would help too?

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Is he able to discuss anything he is experiencing if you sit with him quietly. My brother has hallucinations due to a diagnosis of probable early Lewy's dementia. He was able to discuss his hallucinations in great detail, and they were very detailed. Some were frightening and only came on in social situations involving other people such as a restaurant. Many were not frightening but very story-like. Others involved the way his eyes interpreted things. He said he was not happy to know his diagnosis but was happy to know there was a reason his eyes and his mind saw the world differently now than what was normal. Happily he passed before having to descend into what Lewy's would have in store for him. But he was great at discussing all of this and would have been a wonderful study subject. Sadly any medications for anything bad, or an sleeplessness had an opposite effect on him (happens to some) and he could take them. I sure wish you good luck.

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Thank you for all your responses.

My husband sadly is not able to discuss anything - in the way your brother could. I just noticed that when I visit (he’s actually now in a care home) he will tell me to be careful for example about the carer - he’ll tell me not to go into a certain room and so on. Of course I always try to reassure him, ask him why he feels scared and try and show him that he has nothing to be worried about - without of course making it sound like I disbelieve him or diminish his feelings.

I have read a lot about hallucinations etc and the home keep lights on, curtains open and so on. I just noticed when we sit outside he’s like a different person. He’s not scared or agitated. He sits quietly and his mood lightens. It’s like he feels ‘safer’ outside - even if the person he ‘fears’ comes outside also. There are times he won’t eat his dinner inside yet if I take it outside he’ll eat it willingly. It’s possible just being outdoors makes him feel less ‘trapped’ - I don’t know. So long as it helps. We’re lucky to live in CA so the climate is pretty good all year round. I just wanted to share this as I know others are dealing with similar issues and hopefully it may help them also.

I wish you all the very best.

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I have read here on the forum where shadows can be a problem with some dementias. Perhaps inside your home with different lighting there are shadows and when he is outside, it’s bright and sunny? The shadows may increase his delusions.

The poster who wrote about this was Igloo. Here is a link she posted on telling of how lighting and large furniture cast shadows which bothered her mom who had Lewy Body Dementia.

https://www.agingcare.com/questions/excessive-cellular-death-in-frontal-temporal-lobes-194008.htm?orderby=recent

Some people have more than one type dementia. Try searching on this site for other aspects of your husbands issues. I have found it very helpful.

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Thank you - yes I have read about this. The home is very bright and they keep the lights on, curtains open etc. I was also told by the doctor that people can have more than one type of dementia. It really is the cruelest disease.

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Never heard of that but it's very interesting and I guess it kind of makes sense. For example, my 2 year old grandson is much happier when he is playing outside! Can be grumpy and melting down in the house but get him out in the fresh air and he's a happy boy. Related? Maybe? Once the weather breaks, I'll have to remember to get my mom outside more. The vitamin D is really good for them too, and everyone actually. I need to make a little sitting area in the front yard where she can watch the traffic and the birds, etc. The back deck is lovely but doesn't get sun until late in the day.

I guess you and hubby will be spending LOTS of time outside!

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"I need to make a little sitting area in the front yard where she can watch the traffic and the birds, etc."

so sweet.
it's wonderful to read all the great things people do for their LOs.
:)

Has anyone else noticed a significant change in a loved one with dementia regarding paranoia when they’re outside?

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