{"id":5695,"date":"2023-08-11T16:18:45","date_gmt":"2023-08-11T16:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/?page_id=5695"},"modified":"2026-03-24T13:07:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T13:07:48","slug":"changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our senses \u2013 hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch \u2013 help us understand the world around us.<\/p>\n

But in many people with dementia<\/a>, the brain misinterprets the information from their senses. This can cause \u2018changes in perception\u2019, where they experience things differently from other people.<\/p>\n

Changes in perception may also be caused by physical changes, such as a person\u2019s sight or hearing getting worse as they get older.<\/p>\n

Some people with dementia have hallucinations. This is where they experience something that is not really happening, like hearing voices (auditory hallucinations) or seeing things that aren\u2019t there (visual hallucinations). Visual hallucinations are more common in people with Lewy body dementia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Is a hallucination the same as a change in perception?<\/h2>\n

Hallucinations and changes in perception are two separate things that a person with dementia can experience.<\/p>\n

Hallucinations are sensory experiences that appear real to the person but are created by their mind, without any external cause. This causes the person to experience something that is not really happening.<\/p>\n

Changes in perception occur when a person\u2019s brain misinterprets the information from their senses. This can lead to them misunderstanding the world around them or experiencing reality differently from other people.<\/p>\n

Examples of a change in perception<\/h3>\n

There are five main types of change in perception that can happen for a person with dementia.<\/p>\n

Misperceptions<\/h4>\n

This is when a person mistakenly sees one thing as something else. For example, they may see a reflection in a window and believe there is an intruder in their home.<\/p>\n

Examples of misperception include the person having difficulty recognising themself in a mirror, believing that their home is not their home, or thinking that someone they know is a stranger.<\/p>\n

Misidentification<\/h4>\n

This is when a person has problems identifying particular objects or people. For example, they may mistake their daughter for their wife.<\/p>\n

Capgras syndrome<\/h4>\n

Capgras syndrome is a type of misidentification where the person wrongly believes that someone familiar or close to them is an imposter. It is mostly documented in people with Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a> and Lewy body dementia<\/a>. It is thought to occur in around 6% of people with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and 17% of people with Lewy body dementia.<\/p>\n

Confabulation<\/h4>\n

Confabulation is when the brain unconsciously fills in gaps in memory with misinterpreted and false information that the person with dementia firmly believes is true. Carers sometimes incorrectly believe a person is hallucinating in these situations. For example, the person with dementia may claim they received a visit from a friend today which never happened, or happened months ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our senses \u2013 hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch \u2013 help us understand the world around us. But in many people with dementia, the brain misinterprets the information from their senses. This can cause \u2018changes in perception\u2019, where they experience things differently from other people. Changes in perception may also be caused by physical changes, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2400,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"on","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5695","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nChanges in perception and hallucinations in dementia - Dementia UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Delve into the changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia. Find out how these experiences differ among individuals.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dementia UK is a charity that provides Admiral Nurses for families affected by dementia. Call our Dementia Helpline to find out how we can support you.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dementia UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DementiaUK\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-24T13:07:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/dementiauk_900x600logo.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"846\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"836\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@dementiauk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/information-and-support\\\/health-advice\\\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/information-and-support\\\/health-advice\\\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\\\/\",\"name\":\"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia - Dementia UK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-11T16:18:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-24T13:07:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"Delve into the changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia. Find out how these experiences differ among individuals.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/information-and-support\\\/health-advice\\\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/information-and-support\\\/health-advice\\\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/information-and-support\\\/health-advice\\\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Information and support\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/information-and-support\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Health advice\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/information-and-support\\\/health-advice\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/\",\"name\":\"Dementia UK\",\"description\":\"Specialist support to families facing dementia\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Dementia UK\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/dementiauk_900x600logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/dementiauk_900x600logo.png\",\"width\":846,\"height\":836,\"caption\":\"Dementia UK\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dementiauk.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/DementiaUK\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/dementiauk\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/dementia-uk\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@dementiauk\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/DementiaUK1\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/dementia_uk\\\/\"],\"description\":\"Dementia UK is a charity that provides Admiral Nurses for families affected by dementia. Call our Dementia Helpline to find out how we can support you.\",\"email\":\"info@dementiauk.org\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia - Dementia UK","description":"Delve into the changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia. Find out how these experiences differ among individuals.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia","og_description":"Dementia UK is a charity that provides Admiral Nurses for families affected by dementia. Call our Dementia Helpline to find out how we can support you.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/","og_site_name":"Dementia UK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DementiaUK\/","article_modified_time":"2026-03-24T13:07:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":846,"height":836,"url":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/dementiauk_900x600logo.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@dementiauk","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/","name":"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia - Dementia UK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-08-11T16:18:45+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-24T13:07:48+00:00","description":"Delve into the changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia. Find out how these experiences differ among individuals.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/changes-in-perception-and-hallucinations-in-dementia\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Information and support","item":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Health advice","item":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Changes in perception and hallucinations in dementia"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/","name":"Dementia UK","description":"Specialist support to families facing dementia","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/#organization","name":"Dementia UK","url":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/dementiauk_900x600logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/dementiauk_900x600logo.png","width":846,"height":836,"caption":"Dementia UK"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DementiaUK\/","https:\/\/x.com\/dementiauk","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dementia-uk\/","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@dementiauk","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/DementiaUK1","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dementia_uk\/"],"description":"Dementia UK is a charity that provides Admiral Nurses for families affected by dementia. Call our Dementia Helpline to find out how we can support you.","email":"info@dementiauk.org"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5695"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34009,"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5695\/revisions\/34009"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}