Ava Butler, whose late husband had Parkinson’s psychosis, shares some pointers to redirect when symptoms include fearful hallucinations.
Transcript
I don’t know if it reduces symptoms, but more manages symptoms. The key is to always be proactive.
When my husband had hallucinations, for example, he would get very fearful, and it’s better to—don’t tell them it’s not there, that there’s no person in the chair or whatever, but just go with it and be calm, and let the person know, like it’s OK. Like, “What are they doing? They are here. They’re our friends.” Don’t argue, but just be supportive and calm.
Don’t let the person get too tired or too hungry. You know, know their best times of the day. For most people, that’s in the early mornings, better than other times. So you know, manage that you’re not going out to the grocery store or something together when it’s not at their peak periods.
Exercise, I think is good, too. Just not heavy. But go out for a walk, get some fresh air, pet the dog, things like that, just to keep things calm.
