Hi Concerned Cousin

An interesting question. Unfortunately it is impossible make a call on this without more information. Paranoid ideas, blaming others for lost items can be a symptom of Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia. The accusations he makes could also be due to any number of psychiatric conditions from depression to schizophrenia or because of a medical condition.

Sorry I cannot be more helpful

Christine

Characteristics of dementia may include but are not limited to a loss of short term memory (what a person ate for breakfast or what was said five minutes ago), problems expressing thoughts or comprehending requests (trouble finding the right words or calling something by the wrong name), difficulty or inability to carry out activities of daily living (dressing, bathing, paying bills), changes in personality (becoming aggressive when they were always mild-mannered), confusion or disorientation to time, place, or person, unexplainable mood swings, loss of initiative in starting or completing activities, aggression, agitation, and depression.
 
If your cousin is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is a good idea to consider testing for dementia. A complete test can include a cognitive screen, a blood test, a urine analysis, brain image scanning, and a comprehensive medical history. If a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is issued, the doctor may prescribe certain medications that may slow down progression of symptoms of the disease. However, you should be aware that although the behavior you mentioned may be a factor of dementia, it could also be linked to a number of other causes such as infection, mental illness, etc.
 
Although you don’t have much contact with your cousin, it is important to try encouraging him to visit his doctor to find out for sure. This is not always simple to do from a distance, so if possible, it would be best if somebody could accompany him to the doctor. This will ensure that your cousin makes the appointment as well as follow up on doctor’s orders.