Abstract
Families frequently report that they have received the diagnosis of “a little dementia” for a loved one whose memory is impaired. There is no such thing as “a little dementia.” It is like being a “little pregnant”—either you have it or you do not! And having “dementia” is never a good thing—although families who receive that diagnosis will frequently say, “Well at least it is not Alzheimer’s!” This denial keeps them from learning about the disease, planning for a time when the loved one with the diagnosis is unable to survive without 24-h care, and making other decisions that are best made before a situation becomes a crisis.
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Benner Carson, V., Vanderhorst, K., Koenig, H. (2015). There Is No Such Thing As a “Little Dementia”!. In: Care Giving for Alzheimer’s Disease. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2407-3_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2407-3_2
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