Do Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease Know they Have it?
If you’re wondering, do individuals with Alzheimer’s disease know they have it? The answer might shock you. According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Facts and Figures report of 2015, less than half of seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or their caregivers report being told the diagnosis by a health care provider.
Experts and those who care about the human spirit find this unconscionable. Patients have the right to know what is going on. It allows them to be part of the decision making process about their lives now and in the future and can lead to more cooperation with medical routines and health life style changes that focus on wellness and quality of life. We shouldn’t have to ask, do individuals with Alzheimer’s disease know they have it?
I had a client a number of years ago who told me that he was happy to know he had an illness causing him to be “fuzzy and forgetful” because he thought he was going crazy. Later, I remember him crying because he was no longer able to buy his wife gifts. I came up with a plan with him in the moment that if he was ok with it we would have him now pick out flowers and sweaters (he loved buying her bright colors) and we would have them sent to her on her birthday, anniversary and Christmas. The children were all in on this… and that which caused him distress was now covered for the entirety of his illness. Respecting dignity is a win-win for everyone.
Eldercare Services is offering free a “Memory Screening” the week of November 2nd. Give us a call and we will set up a confidential screening for you or a loved one. The number is 925-937-2018. We are located at 1808 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94595.
For more information click here to download the flyer.
