Instead, try and connect with the person’s emotions.

Connect with their emotions, rather than reasoning: You cannot reason with someone who has anosognosia, so as tempting as it can be, don’t try and convince the person with dementia to see things from your perspective.

If it’s not unsafe, you can decide not to intervene.

Is it safe or unsafe?: Before you intervene, ask yourself if what the person is doing is unsafe.

As a difficult as it can be, try to remember that it is the disease talking and don’t take it personally.

Don’t take it personally: Anosognosia can cause the person with dementia to say hurtful things.As a result, the person you are caring for may not be able recognize the symptoms of dementia because: This is a neurological problem resulting in damage to certain parts of the brain. This can be selective or complete, and it can impact their memory, general thinking skills, emotions and physical abilities. When anosognosia occurs there is a limited ability to have insight into ones true abilities. The medical term for this is “anosognosia” and it means “without knowledge of disease”. What can be perceived as denial or being stubborn can actually be a lack of awareness that there are any deficits. What is really going on?ĭoesn’t the person know that they have dementia? It’s as though the person with dementia has no idea that they are showing any symptoms and that their abilities are changing. This can cause equally strong emotions in you, as you find yourself feeling worried for the person’s safety frustrated, and unsure of how to cope. You may find that when you try and discuss their changes in memory and ability, the person with dementia will become defensive, agitated, depressed and deny that anything is wrong.

Witnessing someone progressively deteriorate is one of the challenging and painful parts of caring for a family member with dementia.

How to you pronounce anosognosia