022 – QA: Helping a Paranoid Older Parent and Checking Safety

In This Episode:

Dr. K responds to a reader’s question on assessing the safety of an older parent who has become paranoid and has started behaving differently. She covers:

• Why delusions, hallucinations, and paranoid behavior are so common in older adults
• The six “Ds” that cause paranoia and other forms of late-life psychosis
• Why a medical evaluation to identify the causes of psychosis is so important
• How to check on “levels of decline” and safety, using the Checking Older Parents Quick Start Guide
• How to tell your parent’s doctor about the problems, even if your parent doesn’t want you to be involved
• The best sources of useful advice and information, if you are concerned about a parent with signs of late-life psychosis
• Tips on discussing these issues with a resistant parent

Related article: 

6 Causes of Paranoia in Aging & What to Do

Related Resources:

• Late-Life Psychosis: Diagnosis and Treatment
• 10 Things to Know About Delirium
• 4 Types of Brain-Slowing Medication to Avoid if You’re Worried About Memory
• Checking Older Parents Quick Start Guide
• Health Information Privacy (HIPAA)
• Caregiving forum at AgingCare.com
• Circles at Daughterhood.org
• 4 Things to Do When Your Parents Are Resisting Help

Please post any follow-up questions below! If there are enough questions, Dr. K will address them in a follow-up episode.