Do Dementia Patients Know They Have A Problem?
Families and caretakers usually ask us whether dementia patients are aware of their condition. Briefly, some of these patients are unaware of their condition, be it Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Brain damage such as Alzheimer’s dementia, tumors, and stroke may cause these patients to believe there’s nothing wrong with them. This condition is known as anosognosia and it is different than being in denial.
A Definition Of Anosognosia
Anosognosia is common to an array of medical conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s, and it causes the patient to not know that they suffer from that condition. In other words, a dementia patient who also suffers from anosognosia won’t know or believe that they are ill.
The symptoms of anosognosia may differ from individual to individual, and may even change with time. They might even change within the time frame of 24 hours. There may be moments when the patient seems to be aware of the situation and other moments when they firmly believe there’s nothing wrong with them. Some patients may only be partially aware of their condition.
Is There A Difference Between Anosognosia And Denial?
The two are radically different. Being in denial means the subject is aware of a fact or a situation but unwilling to accept it. Dementia patients with anosognosia are unaware of what’s happening to them, because of their brain damage.
What Are The Main Symptoms Of Anosognosia?
The most common symptoms of anosognosia include memory loss, the impairment of general thinking skills, emotional problems, or physical troubles. Some patients may have difficulties finding their words, but they’d always find possible explanations, blaming their situation on excessive fatigue or on forgetfulness.
Should these patients burn food while cooking, forget to bathe, or miss appointments, they’d find excuses and keep claiming they are perfectly able to cope with everything without the need for help. They’d still insist that they can live on their own, even though facts show they actually can’t.
Since patients with anosognosia have the firm belief that there’s nothing wrong with them, they could become angry or even aggressive when someone confronts them with the hard truth. In their mind, everything is perfectly fine, so they can’t understand why others keep telling them they suffer from cognitive impairment.
What Makes Families Choose Us
At Assisting Hands, we rely on a set of core values such as compassion, dignity, and dependability.
Our mission is to care for others, in the same way, we would like to be cared for. In order to align with this mission, we rely on a nationwide team of skilled and experienced professionals who are willing to go the extra mile to care for their patients. We can provide non-medical in-home care, as well as 24/7 assisted living care, so you can fully rely on us at any given time.
Call us or contact Assisting Hands Houston today! Visit our blog for more exciting articles about senior care in Houston.
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