When DH watches tv and there's an upbeat commercial, he dances along with it, claps and then says he wants to go with them to have fun and heads towards the door. Or like during the political conventions, when people are clapping and raising their hands, he does the same thing. I'm sure the energy level is exciting to him and energizes him but each time I tell him it's on tv and not real and he says "I know" but I'm not sure if he is having delusions or just a good time. Any thoughts? Once the commercial is over he settles down again until there's another exciting one. It doesn't happen with all commercials, just the high energy ones like the car commercial that has the theme and dancers of "Grease".
This isn't a big deal in the scheme of issues I'm dealing with but thought I'd ask.
LFL, mine sometimes thinks they are real people. He was watching golf and asked me if I had enough food to feed all those people when they came in to 'this' hotel! I just said yes, it's taken care of. He doesn't really understand the commercials I don't think, because he's always asking me what they are about - and sometimes, I don't even know!
No, it's not a big deal - but little things add up to big things!
LFL--yes, this is a symptom of AD--thinking that TV programs and movies, etc. are really happening. I don't think it's so bad as long as you only let him see "happy" stuff. I've never heard of the medical explanation as to why this happens in the brain--maybe someone else will know. Eventually, it did help if I never had programs like the news on because it was too confusing for Steve. That stage does pass, when TV loses it's appeal entirely.
LFL, my DH, like Vickie's, thought that the people on TV were actually here in the living room. It scared him & got so bad that I turned on the music channel that our cable company has. I turned it on the oldies station in hopes that he might recognize some of the songs. That went on for about 2 months & then when I turned the programs back on he was fine with it (every once in a while he will see “people” but not as bad a before).
Understanding TV at all was one of the first serious things I noticed. He tried to fake it....but, to see if he really wasn't understanding during a program where someone was going to be killed I would rush to the bathroom and then when I came back I would ask him if the person got shot...he might say yes or no...but a few minutes later I would see the person hadn't been shot. Also, he never knew the score of the sporting event he was watching. Then he lost total interest in TV.
My guy used to think of some of the actors as friends that came over yesterday, or such. That didn't last long, but having the TV on all day is a life savor. He is so comfortable in his chair, in front of the big screen, but often just stares at the floor, maybe just listening, I'm not sure. I know that if I turn it off, he gets all upset and nervous, and asks if we are going home now or what? Bad move on my part for sure. So, it's the TV on, and the day goes by more smoothly.....if that's possible. It is so strange that they go through stages like this, within the documented AD stages I mean. Liking some foods one day, then asking why you made it the next time. Needing to brush his teeth, then soon avoiding it like a bad habit. Insisting on sweatpants for awhile, then sure he has always worn shorts. It all changes as soon as you think you get him figured out. Throughout the whole journey, so many changes, huh?
It hasn't happened for some time, but once L yelled at the TV because someone was drinking Pepsi (she thinks any carbonated drink is unhealthy). She knows the difference between TV and reality but TV has a strong emotional impact on her than in the past.
When my DH was in that stage he really enjoyed the Nickelodeon channel or the animal planet station. Any other programs scared him, he thought the people were in the room with him or he thought those people were mad at him about something. So he really enjoyed the childrens channel and watching the animals. He had also gotten to the point that he could'nt understand the remote control so I never left it with him. That worked out okay since he always watched his TV in the family room.
Delusions . . . . yeah, Wife cant watch animal TV because she loves animals too much and when they show one animal eating another it upsets her. (this was even before the AD!)
Music stations? Yeah they can keep her steady for a while. I put on the 40s music channel. Way back when her father played woodwind instruments in amatuer bands. She would go with him to their performances in the park, at weddings or wherever. So today she very much recognizes the music even though she is only 62 y/o and this type of music is before her time. HOWEVER she also recognizes the names of the singers/performers and will tell you all about how she was a good friend of Frank Sinatra, she was on stage with Artie Shaw and how Glen Miller used to bring her gifts. Certainly all good ideations so I support her and have her tell me more about how well she knew each of them.
She loves helicopters and runs outside and gets excited whenever one flies overhead. She whistles and waves at them 100% certain that she knows the crew and that they waved back.
She also loves motorcycles and waves at all of them on the highway too. She will tell me that she is good friends with the rider (especially biker types) and that he lives "right around the corner" from us. Interestingly while all these people are her 'good friends' she never has a name for any of them.
It is always better to have her excited and interested in something (even for a moment) because she will stop her incessant crying and I can get a moments peace ;-) Jim
Oh Jim, the crying is so hard to deal with. During Gord's last year, I had the 4000 feet of Super 8 film that his dad took converted to DVDs. I thought he would enjoy them. Big mistake. He was then sure that his mom and dad were alive. That made what had been a frequent problem into a constant problem. I had to put the DVDs away.
My dh will not watch anything on TV. For awhile he would watch the golf channel even though he never was a golfer - he did play in a league for about a year when he was in his 20's - but not since. I thought he'd watch highlights of baseball as he did play softball and had a favorite major league baseball team but I think they flash the plays so fast it bothers him because he won't watch that either. I'd like to find something he'd watch so I could have a few minutes when I know where he is even though I'm not right by his side. He has no interest in TV or looking at magazines. He never did much on the computer so he doesn't remember how to do anything on it. Our old home movies might interest him if I can get them on dvd so I can play them on our TV. I wish I could find anything to occupy his time!
Like Janny I keep the tv on all day because he's always been an avid tv watcher and it does keep him relatively quiet. I try to avoid any programs with violence so as not to agitate him or god forbid give him any ideas about being violent.
Marilyn and others-I just cannot imagine he will lose interest in tv but it's good to know it may be in our future so I can start thinking about something else to keep him occupied.
LFL--think about it, this is like a baby, but in reverse. Babies aren't born watching TV, but their brain develops to a point where they can focus on it. Same thing with dementia, only vice-versa, most get to the stage where they just can't decipher or engage with that type of visual stimulation. What keeps Steve busy at the ALF is pacing and thinking that everything he hears is addressed to him! He has a running commentary going, based on all the conversations he hears. I imagine he's never lonely, because there's always talking going on and he's alert to it.