Weird goings on at old folks home

I want to share something that I experienced today just to see what you think about it and perhaps come up with explanations for it.

I can't go into fine detail about people and places because I work as a carer in a home for the elderly and it would be against my code of conduct to reveal exact details about real people, so I will try to explain what happened as best I can within these restrictions.

The place is a home for elderly residents, most of them are round about 80 years old. Many suffer from dementia and are physically infirm.

Mrs B lived in room 9 and all the time I knew her (6 months) she never left her room. She would sometimes halucinate and talk about people in her room, but nobody paid much attention.

Sadly Mrs B passed away about 3 weeks ago, and her room has been vacant since then.

In the next room to her, room 10, lives Mrs C. She is able to leave her room and join other residents, she is very hard of hearing and doesn't see well either. In the 6 months I've worked there she has not spoken to Mrs B. A few weeks ago due to certain things Mrs C started to stay in her room and not come out. And thats how it is now.

Today I went into to see Mrs C and give her a cup of tea. She said to me there was a baby in her bed. Clearly there was no baby in her bed, so I just moved on changed the subject and shortly after left. The same thing happened later when I went to see her with something else, she talked about a baby in her bed.

I mentioned this to another staff member and she told me some weird things. First she told me that Mrs B in room 9 used to talk about a baby in her bed, but then she died. And only since she died has Mrs C in the next room has started saying the same thing.

It turns out that a few years ago another woman who lived in room 10 also talked about a baby in her bed.

These ladies suffer from dementia and confusion. They don't communicate fully with anyone, let alone each other, and even if they did they wouldn't remember anything about it.

Now I've also heard that the building which was built 14 years ago was built on a site which was long long ago a burial ground and the builders had to dig down and move human remains before construction began.

Whether that is significant I don't know.

Does anyone have any theories as to what is going on, are there similar cases, or is it all just a coincidence and not worth bothering about.

Certainly got me thinking anyway, and next time I'm on night shift I'm going to be #ting myself going in to check on on Mrs C, but I have a vivid imagination.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

reply to post by bigyin


Interesting, have you tried taking her a doll? You know like the ones children use that can be fed and played with just to see what she does? Place it on her bed without her knowing and if she mentions it , place it in her arms. That may dispell whatever she is seeing in her bed. (just a thought).

reply to post by bigyin



I look at it as if these patients have dreams about a baby in the bed. In this case, the baby is the patients themselves. They are returning to their original being as a baby through their deaths. Is a good thing and quite natural. The baby represents the oneness with the original form or being, in the book of the Tao. Next time, ask them how the baby looks like and what the baby was doing? It may help them to cross over....

Ok thats an idea. Personally I don't have the authority to do that, but certainly I could suggest it to the supervisor and see what they think about it.

reply to post by Mr. D


Sorry Mr D I didn't use the the reply to button, which I should have done in my previous post. I just found it on the new ATS layout.

reply to post by ChiForce


Thats an interesting idea, thanks. Mrs B was very frail and close to death for a while. Mrs C however I wouldn't say is going to die anytime soon, although you never know.

That is very interesting... I like the idea of getting her to talk about the baby a little, not changing the subject. Maybe you can get more information and see if this is comforting to her.

If you are so inclined, perhaps you can document each time the baby is mentioned and by whom... and see if you find a pattern?

reply to post by Tadarida


Yes it is fascinating and weird at the same time. Some problems I have are I only work in the unit occassionaly, so I don't have daily contact with the lady. Also she is so deaf that actually communicating with her is quite difficult.

Next time I see her I will try and ask her more about the baby.

That's definitely an odd story. I'd think twice about putting a doll there though. A lot of people find dolls to be creepy...and well, you didn't mention how freaked out (or not whatever the case may be) she might be about it.

Very strange and unusual - I was wondering if over time perhaps someone brought a doll or baby to visit either or both of these ladies. If so - perhaps that is what they are thinking of. The reason I thought of this was my Aunt was in a facility and she had dementia - I would visit and take my baby daughter with me sometimes and lay her on my Aunts bed while I visited with my Aunt who would sit in a chair. She would watch the baby and I could detect a little sparkle in her eyes. Could this be the case? Just a thought?

reply to post by crazydaisy


Well it's possible although I am not aware of any babies being brought in to these particular people. The other staff were telling me that they have all been thinking about it, so if a baby was in the unit they would have known and suggested it as a possible explanation. But nobody has any explanation.

Remember that there are lots of other residents and none of them are talking about babies. Its just 3 ladies that have lived in 2 rooms side by side at different times.

It's as if there is a presence in that part of the building.

Originally posted by Zoodie
That's definitely an odd story. I'd think twice about putting a doll there though. A lot of people find dolls to be creepy...and well, you didn't mention how freaked out (or not whatever the case may be) she might be about it.

I thought about the doll because in all instances it was/is a lady and not a man that are seeing the baby. It might be their motherly instinct that is at work there. Just a thought.

Originally posted by bigyin
reply to post by Mr. D

 

Sorry Mr D I didn't use the the reply to button, which I should have done in my previous post. I just found it on the new ATS layout.

No worries.

People with alzeimers and dementia actually do see spirits more vividly than others. I used to care for an elderly woman who would speak of such things, and I could see them aswell and I knew she wasnt delusional.

Either

A. The baby is a ghost, from the burial ground (maybe demonic?) babies are rarely left as earthbound but demons take forms of babies often
or
B. The baby is a transitional spirit who appears before these patients before they die and the baby is a good spirit

either way- if Mrs. C dies in the next month, youll have your answer

reply to post by bigyin


It does appear that there is a presence in that area? Is the building old or does it have a history?

Because you work in a nursing home, then I'm sure you are aware that it is very commonplace for patients with dementia, particularly Alzheimer's, to fixate on babies. They will at times start walking constantly, looking for their babies. This is the reason you see so many dementia patients who carry dolls around, that someone had the good sense to give them.

I think the patient to whom you refer has simply made a progressive step in her dementia.

Although I agree it's an interesting scenario.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


star for you.

Yes dementia patients do tend to have fixations with babies and children; Doll Therapy has been around for many many years to deal with this fixation. Anecdotally its known to be effective means of calming patients who suffer from dementia and its associated sundowner/twilight syndrome as well.

www.dementiacareaustralia.com...

reply to post by Gaderel


Thanks for the link. I've not read about this therapy before. After reading the link above I found this site

dolls

At first I found it all a bit odd and creepy but I'm prepared to accept it may be helpful. I'm going to read up more. I don't know if it's acceptable practice in the UK. Does anyone know about this ? Also the above site is in Australia, I'd like to find a UK based supplier. The cost of those custom made dolls is pretty high, though I appreciate there is a fair bit of work and talent required to make one. But thanks for bringing this to my attention.


Edit to add I just found that ebay is full of these dolls, so no problem finding one.

I don't think you should even consider giving a doll to any of these ladies, or even press them about a baby. By all means keep an eye and ear open but don't get involved. You're a carer so experimenting with these vulnerable people in your care wouldn't be a good idea, even though it might be tempting just to find out a bit more.

reply to post by wigit


Don't worry I've no intention of doing anything like that. I mentioned some of what I learned here to some of the other staff so if the senior people want to try any of it it's up to them.

The lady seems to have stopped mentioning the baby now. She does still halucinate and talk to 'other people' even when a carer is present. But that is fairly typical of the client group.