raising awareness

[gemmamccurdy]

I was at one of my social activities last night, when afew of us got into a discussion about Dimentia. One person said "If I was elderley, I hope I go with dimentia, as you are away with the faries"
I was not only shocked by his statement, but dissapointed as all the other people in our discussion started larghing at what he had said!
I tried to explain the distess caused for the person suffering with dimentia, and the upset it causes to close family and friends who are watching the person deteriorate over a period of time...
At that point, I was told to SHUT UP NOW! "you are dipressing everyone". I just had to put it down to ignorance.
It makes me annoyed, especially as these people I was chatting to, seemed to be quite intelligent!
How is it possible to educate people in this field?
As I left, I put some Alzheimer's Society flyer's in their coat pocket!!

 

[Brucie]

One person said "If I was elderley, I hope I go with dimentia, as you are away with the faries"

It is a measure of the ignorance around that someone would say this.

As a person who has seen relatives who have cancer, and those who have dementia, if I had to choose - and we always hope we won't have any of them - then I'd go for cancer any time.

It is a silly game to play of course and neither is ever wanted.

I think dementia just has the wrong name.

For greater recognition, it should really have 'cancer' somewhere in the name.

There is already the condition brain cancer/tumour of course, and indeed many symptoms seem remarkably like those of dementia.

Perhaps "Cognitive Cancer" or "Brain Function Cancer" might describe the condition. To be quite correct, it is not cancer at all, but it does seem that people understand something when talking of cancer that they do not understand when discussing dementia.

 

[daisy2468]

I think it is impossible for anyone to understand living with someone with dimentia if they have not experienced it. It is something so impossible to comprehend. The person you knew is no longer there whereas with cancer, the same person is there. Both are heartbreaking and a sad end to anybodys life. Those who care for such ill people are champions of humanity.

 

[Brucie]

I think it is impossible for anyone to understand living with someone with dimencia if they have not experienced it. It is something so impossible to comprehend.

spot on!