Before her diagnosis, there were several signs, some I didn’t want to acknowledge. I explained things away. I told myself she was getting older. Until eventually, I couldn’t.
One thing I didn’t understand at the time was that some people with dementia genuinely don’t realize anything is wrong.
There’s actually a name for it: anosognosia.
It’s not simply denial. Anosognosia is a neurological symptom that can prevent someone from recognizing their own cognitive decline. The Alzheimer’s Association says it’s common in people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
That explained so much about my mother.
When she told me, “There’s nothing wrong with my memory. It’s just forgetfulness. Everybody has it. You just wait,” she wasn’t necessarily trying to convince me.
She believed it.
And understanding that eventually changed the way I responded to her.
That’s part of why I’m doing Dementia Sucks, But…
Over the next several weeks, I’ll share some of what my mother’s 15-year journey with dementia taught me—the hard parts, the funny moments, the mistakes I made, the bright spots, and especially what I learned about meeting someone where they are.
And I want this to be a conversation.
If you’ve loved or cared for someone with dementia, what’s something you wish you had known at the beginning?
Let’s learn from each other. ❤️
Source: Alzheimer’s Association — Anosognosia
2 days agobethquickley
My aunt did the testing she did well on everything but the memory part, the psychiatrist said he didn't really think it was dementia but maybe memory loss due to childhood trauma, and her husband doesn't think therapy would help because shed forget everything she talked about the week before, its very sad to see
21 days agojustbev17
I didn't know there was a name for this type of denial 🤯❗️This is my husband to a T. Thank you and sharing
22 days agonolakinkaid283
My mom fought dementia for 4 years, 3 months. We still has a ton of great times. It was tough. It was tough seeing her go through it. It was tough her not knowing my name one time and it was really difficult telling her i didn't want her to drive. When she became bedbound and non-verbal, that was another difficult moment, but my mom fought and I was honored to be her caregiver. Taking care of her and my dad will be the most rewarding thing I'll ever do.
24 days agochuckb0906
Looking forward to your posts…I remember your journey well. Still on mine with mom at 98 years old!
a month agotravel_therapy_2go
My father had it and it was hard to see the changes when you don’t want to see them or not ready. This is great you are doing this ❤️
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