My 78 year old husband has been diagnosed with dementia for three years but recently has taken a nose dive as far as cognition and language go. He feels there is someone else living here with us in our home, someone with the same name as I but who seems to have a somewhat sinister and threatening personality. She, this woman, seems to be a causing troble at his workplace , seems to want to cause difficulty in our financial situation especially in regards to our estate planning after he has passed. Obviously there is no such woman. How can I soothe him? She seems very real to him.
She is very real to him. Call his doctor, tell him/her what's happening (delusions and/or paranoia) and ask him/her to prescribe something to help him and you to get through this stage. Is your husband agitated or aggressive? If so beware how you approach him because he could become unexpectedly violent.
If it makes you feel any better to have a name for it, this is similar to Capgras syndrome which is very common in Lewy Body Dementia. http://www.lbda.org/content/capgras-syndrome-dlb-associated-anxiety-and-hallucinations.
Thanks for your replies. My husband isn't violent or aggressive, thank goodness. But this delusion is very real to him. I will give the doc a call and see what can be done to help him. Too bad he sees her as my evil twin. I sure could use a clone of myself!