Revealing Dementia Diagnosis Largely Up To Person Diagnosed

Dear Carol: My mom was diagnosed with an early stage of dementia. Unfortunately, she thinks that there’s still a strong stigma surrounding dementia and she doesn’t want her friends to know about her diagnosis. I understand and respect her feelings, but when I asked her if she’d tell them if she had cancer, she said that she probably would. I tried to tell her that this shouldn’t be any different. Since her best friends don’t live close by, and she sounds like her normal self during most phone conversations as well as in her emails, there may be no rush. Still, while I don’t want to go against Mom’s wishes, I think that she could use their support and they are the type of people who would be behind her 100 percent. There will likely come a time when they should know. When is that time? – CT Read the full column on Inforum about how to help person diagnosed with dementia get around the stigma: MedicareFAQ – Medicare Resource Center Support a caregiver or jump-start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders of Minding Our Elders e-mail Carol   Photo credit Thermes Rivera: Unsplash                Related StoriesOptimistic Thinking: Could It Help Preserve Your Memory and JudgementMaintaining Social Life Important for Caregiver Health5 Tips for Maintaining Relationships with Friends when Dementia Joins the Mix 
Source: Minding Our Elders - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: blogs