Donna Mergliano in Woodbine, Maryland, writes:
You discussed auditory hallucinations in your column. (March 1, 2015) Would you be so kind as to mention visual hallucinations, as well? My mother, who lived to almost 99, had waking visions off and on during the last decade of her life. She was greatly relieved when we discovered that her seeing straw on people’s heads or four silent women in the room was a manifestation of visual deprivation due to her macular degeneration and not signs of dementia. The affliction is called Charles Bonnet syndrome, named but not widely discussed, it seems. A brief mention of this matter may set many at ease and be greatly appreciated.
Marilyn responds:
Thank you, Donna. One important thing to learn from both of these types of hallucinations is that we must strive to maintain stimulation of elderly minds and senses.
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