my mum the last week or so is constantly getting smells like burnt toast,gas even though we dont have it? fish just things that are not there? i am starting to get scared as up to now she hasnt really done anything like this im even running to the kitchen just to check its driving me mad but its quite scary that shes convinced she smells these?
Also she keeps telling me that someone is "knocking at her bedroom door at night". I just say its the cat banging his head to get in just to reassure her but its scaring me.
Is this hallucinations that ive read about i thought this would happen towards the end stage?
She dosnt seem frightened just asks if im knocking on her door at night?
What are hallucinations?
A hallucination is an experience of something that is not really there. Hallucinations can occur for all the senses, though visual hallucinations (seeing things that are not really there) are the most common type of hallucination experienced by people with dementia.
They're olefactory hallucinations - here's some info:
From: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1408
Visual hallucinations can be as simple as seeing flashing lights, or as complex as seeing animals, people or bizarre situations. Less often in people with dementia, hallucinations can involve hearing (voices, for example), smelling, tasting or feeling things that are not really there.
From another site (Buzzle): Olfactory hallucinations, also called phantosmia, are a prominent type of hallucination found in elderly. This renders them sensitive towards certain odors that are not present. These hallucinations vary from person to person, but are mostly of fetid smells such as the smell of rotten food or rotten flesh, however, they may also include pleasant experiences such as smells of fresh flowers and perfumes.