People Experiencing Dementia Symptoms May Deny Any Concerns
Dear Carol: Do people with dementia deny their disease because of the stigma, or do they just not know they have it? My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, yet he thinks he’s fine. When he forgets something, it’s always someone else’s fault. When we point out that he hasn’t been able to drive for more than three years, he insists that he’ll get his license renewed. The weird thing is that this seems different than conscious denial or even memory loss. It’s like he actually believes that he can just go down to the DMV and they’ll give him back his license. In his eyes, there is nothing wrong with his thinking or his memory. How do we approach this? – HL
Dear HL: I’m sorry you’re having to sort out this confusing issue, but what’s happening is not unusual in Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia symptoms. This behavior is hard to understand because it’s different than conscious denial…
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