At some point, the person may no longer recognize their own image or misperceive what's there. For example, he or she may see a stranger and not themselves in the mirror. They may perceive people in photographs as real and refuse to undress or even get upset if the photograph doesn't respond when spoken to. If a violent TV show is on, they may think the event is actually happening right in their room! Or some think their own reflection in a dark window at night is a stranger. And some may see frightening shapes, like a crouching person in a large house plant or a snake in a swirling, patterned fabric or carpet. The person may become so frightened that they call the police.

The good news is that there is a lot you can do to help reduce or even eliminate environmental misperceptions. Hover over What to Do for solutions that have helped other caregivers in similar, difficult situations. And learn simple strategies on how best to relate to the person if they become agitated.