Key points

Join their reality, validate emotions, and gently redirect to safety.

Humor and improv may lower fear when logic fails, as laughter builds connection.

Paranoia is a symptom, not betrayal; calm presence may restore trust.

It’s one of the hardest parts of dementia for families to face:

“She used to be strong and kind, and now she thinks we’re lying or stealing from her.”

If you’ve been there, you know the heartbreak of trying to reassure someone you love, only to have your words make things worse. But what looks like suspicion or personality change is actually something deeper and far more common.

Why Paranoia Happens

Nearly half of people living with dementia will experience delusions or hallucinations at some point—many of which take the form of paranoia or mist

See Full Page