He came to live with my husband and myself after my mom passed away. He has severe spinal stenosis, mini strokes, and vascular dementia. He thinks I am my mom most of the time. He says I should be kissing him and loving on him instead of my husband. It is creeping me out. Is this normal for vascular dementia?? Sometimes he gets very angry about it.
I can say that trying to argue with your dad will only irritate him even more and stress you out. In his mind you ARE your mom. He sees her when he looks at you. Creepy? Well, yes. But it’s part of his “broken brain”. Continue to call him “Dad” whenever you address him, unless of course your mom called him “Dad”. My mother-in-law called my FIL “Dad”. And, keep the PDA with hubby to a minimum in front of Dad if it upsets him.
Unfortunately, this is pretty much what you signed on for when you brought Dad to live with you. Others deal with demented parents who smear feces on walls, take their incontinence briefs off and parade around, become paranoid and combative (like my mom), and other behaviors that if they were aware what they were doing and how they were acting would absolutely mortify them. You have my admiration for taking your dad to live with you and I am sorry that this will be among your memories of him.
like ahmijoy says dementia causes all kinds of bizarre behavior.
once my mom was talking about HER father. but she was describing my dad, her husband. I think memories get all crossed up.
maybe its something you could discuss at the next dr. appt. or geriatric appt