Late afternoon. I put on the six o’clock news. He is comfy and content. The presenter looks into the camera and he leans over and says, “I spoke to her last week.” A similar clip plays and he adds, “We saw this yesterday.”

I used to get annoyed and I would correct him. It never helped. Understanding what his brain is doing has changed that for me. Here is the simple why, in plain language.

1. The brain’s reality tag gets fuzzy. Most of us file things as real life, TV, or a dream. With dementia that tagging system slips. A friendly face talking to camera can feel like a real conversation he actually had.
2. Time gets jumbled. News and YouTube repeat stories. The familiarity is strong, so his mind reaches a reasonable conclusion that we saw it yesterday or last week.
3. The mind fills the gaps. When memory is patchy, the brain auto completes the story so it makes sense. That is not lying. It is the brain doing its best guesswork.
4. His eyesight adds to it. With macular degeneration the picture is not crisp, so the brain leans harder on assumptions and feelings. A Live banner or a warm voice can make it feel immediate and personal.

Put together, it is no surprise that he believes he has spoken to the people on TV. He is not being difficult. He is experiencing the world as his brain now presents it.

So I have changed my response. I keep it light and kind.
“It does feel like that, does it not? She is very friendly.”
Or a gentle anchor. “This is today’s six o’clock news. We are at home and they are in the studio.”

That is all. No drama. Understanding has taken the heat out of the moment. I am less frustrated, he stays relaxed, and the evening goes better for both of us. Knowing the why helps me show up as the nicer, calmer version of myself. On an ordinary Tuesday at six, that feels like a win.