I've been taking care of my mother 24/7 for over 4 years. She has Dementia and lives with me. I have so many questions but for now, I'll just ask one. This week my mother has been hearing music. Last night she was mad at the man who wouldn't turn off the music. Early this morning she told my son about the music. She asked him to turn it off??? My son said he wasn't listening to music. Just now she told me to order the video and CD of a song she had heard. I asked her who sang it and she told me to call my son because he was playing it earlier?? How do I handle this?
Seriously, my Dad heard noises all the time. He never told his doctor. Last year when I first came to help my parents....I told his doctor about the noise in his head. The scan showed hydrocephalus... untreated for years. The brain damage was irreversible by then.
Have this checked out.
I was having issues with talk radio bleeding into my landline, usually between certain hours. Most annoying. Eventually the talk radio went away from Mom's hearing aid, and on my landlines... apparently it was a frequency issue.
Mom: That music kept me up all night. Will you tell your son to stop playing his music so loud?
Me: Sorry about the music Mom, I'll be sure to say something to him ok? So what would you like on your pancakes this morning? Just syrup or some fruit to go with it?
She's going to forget the conversation anyway so it doesn't really matter what you say, just as long as you don't argue, but agree. Be on her side, accept her reality. Make her feel understood. You know what the truth is, but it isn't going to matter to her, just that you believe her and that you're going to take care of the situation.
This skill will be useful for a lot of situations you'll encounter, not just auditory hallucinations. My mom often asks where her husband (who passed almost 5 years ago) went. I just matter of factly say, "oh, he just went outside for a walk" or if she is skeptical of that, I might say, "hmmm, I don't know, I'll go look for him in a few minutes, ok?"
When she starts to go on about "going home" I'll say, Ok, that sounds good, let's talk about that after this show. Or maybe, "sure mom, but remember you're staying the night with me tonite. Want some ice cream?"
Google validation for dementia and you'll find a lot of info about this technique. It really works to help reduce agitation and anxiety, not just in them, but in us as caregivers.
Did your mom recently change any medications? Could she be having withdrawal symptoms from something?
In any case, you should report this to your mother's doctor - it could have any number of causes and wants checking out.
I can fully understand the humming from electrical devices around the house. So many of our modern electrical devices are on "stand by" so there will be a slight hum unless it is unplugged. I can hear those hums but my sig other cannot.
Even the K-cup machine has a hum, that probably only I and the cats can hear. Florescent lights create the same humming noise. I can even hear my desk top computer, which is under my desk, hum. And, of course, the refrigerator has a variety of sounds :P
Long ago I remember some people would get music and talk radio from their dental fillings.
Wonder if the sound could also be tinnitus? A ringing in the ears. I have that, but have had it so long that I don't even pay attention.