Paraphrenia

Paraphrenia is a late onset psychosis which often manifests in the form of unusual ideas and delusions.

• False belief of being persecuted; more specifically, they believe that they are currently being harmed or that someone has the intention to cause harm
• False belief that that people/animals can pass through a structure that would normally constitute a barrier
• Seeing or hearing things
• These symptoms can be very distressing for both the older adult and their caregivers. It is important to check if there is any truth in what the person is saying

Medication such as antipsychotics are given to reduce these unusual experiences and facilitate recovery of the older adult. Often, an important component of care is to reduce social isolation and improve the level of community engagement of these individuals through befriending services, eldercare centres, activity groups etc.