Dementia Recognition

Two seniors with dementia pictured together smiling, showcasing the importance of friendship.

Oct 27, 2024

Is your loved one unaware that they are forgetting things? There’s a word for that.

Watching a loved one decline is one of the most difficult aspects of caring for a friend or family member with dementia. Discussing changes to their health, memory loss, and capabilities can result in an unintended stalemate. The person with dementia can become defensive, irritated, or depressed and sometimes will deny any problems or issues exist. For caregivers, this can be extremely frustrating and worrisome, as they fear for the person’s safety and well-being.

While it can be difficult in the moment, remember that the person with dementia may not be aware of the changes or deficits they are experiencing, or they might understand they can’t do some tasks, like drive, but not others, like go shopping alone. This is called “anosognosia.”

Here are some suggestions for interacting with someone exhibiting signs of anosognosia:

  • Allow the person to handle things they can still do safely. Perhaps they can fold laundry, wash dishes, or play the piano
  • Offer similar tasks with limited or no consequences. If they used to pay bills or send birthday cards to grandchildren, provide them with an old checkbook or greeting cards so they can engage in the familiar behavior
  • Offer to perform tasks together. Play a game, cook a meal, or go on a walk

“Anosognosia is a neurological condition in which the patient is unaware of their neurological deficit or psychiatric condition…. It can affect the patient’s conscious awareness of deficits involving judgment, emotions, memory, executive function, language skills, and motor ability.”

The National Institute of Health

Tips for caregivers and support systems

Interacting with someone with anosognosia can be frustrating so do your best to remember that they aren’t fully aware of their deficits. Try to remain calm and follow these coping guidelines:

  • Be cognizant of their limitations, but don’t intervene unless it’s unsafe
  • Understand your own emotions and take time to figure out a calm response or solution
  • Try not to get offended if they lash out. Dementia can cause people to do or say things
    that don’t align with their previous personality traits
  • Don’t try to reason with them if they are engaging in unsafe behavior. Instead, connect
    through their emotions. Saying “I’m worried about your safety,” might be better
    received than “You can’t drive a car because you don’t have a license”
  • In some cases, it’s best to agree, redirect, and even stretch the truth, especially if the
    person is angry. For example, you can say the car is in for repairs and then suggest
    another activity to redirect them