u/Practical_View_1096

I’m looking for advice from others who have been through this with a loved one. My stepdad has dementia, and over the last year his symptoms have progressed significantly. He has become extremely paranoid and has developed fixed false beliefs. He frequently accuses my mom of lying, says he can’t believe anything she tells him, and often creates elaborate stories or scenarios that never happened. It’s heartbreaking and exhausting because no amount of reasoning or explaining seems to change his mind. Most of the time it’s impossible to redirect him once he’s fixated on something. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you cope, and what has helped you handle these episodes while keeping everyone as calm as possible?