Stereotyping

It's sometimes hard for us people with young onset dementia to convince people that we do in fact have the disease. We don't fit the public perception of what a person living with dementia should look like.
So I wrote this short cartoon.

Hope you like it.
StereotypingCartoonStrip.jpg
 

Jaded'n'faded

Registered User
Jan 23, 2019
5,259
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High Peak
Everyone who reads this forum knows that each person with dementia is an individual. That's why it should be compulsory reading for anyone involved in dementia care (including all medics and social services people). Oh - and the general public should read it too!
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,445
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Kent
Super cartoon @Arthur ASCII

I have always thought the term living with dementia can be too easily misunderstood. It can apply both to those who have a diagnosis and those affected by the diagnosis as carers or family members.

Those of us who know appreciate the difference.

Those who have little or no understanding of dementia are the ones who really do need a more precise explanation.
 

WJG

Registered User
Sep 13, 2020
137
0
I have recently come across several cases of people with dementia being challenged about their diagnosis. My intention (it's happened to me) is to get a copy of my brain scan made into a T shirt.
People aren't challenged about their cancer or their heart disease. It really is time to call out this prejudice.
 

karaokePete

Registered User
Jul 23, 2017
6,534
0
N Ireland
I have recently come across several cases of people with dementia being challenged about their diagnosis. My intention (it's happened to me) is to get a copy of my brain scan made into a T shirt.
People aren't challenged about their cancer or their heart disease. It really is time to call out this prejudice.
Not too long after her diagnosis my wife and I were in a bar and talking to a person we had known for some 10-15 years and, as he left us, that person leaned towards me and whispered "She seems OK to me.". It was a jaw dropping moment for that person when I went over to him 2 minutes later and advised him that my wife had asked who he was as soon as he had left us.

Stereotyping will only happen when someone knows of, but doesn't understand, a persons diagnosis, and it can be a double edged sword. I have found that, in general, people are understanding and helpful. However, just a couple of weeks ago my wife mentioned that she is aware that people exclude her from conversations, as if she is stupid, and she finds that hurtful as she is a highly educated person. Aphasia is one of my wife's symptoms so it's possible that people find it hard to talk to her(even I struggle at times). It's all a fine line to judge.
 

Seaholly

Registered User
Oct 12, 2020
113
0
I couldn't agree more! It's not just the 'general public' either; it's health professionals and carers too, which really is unacceptable.
 

silver'lantern

Registered User
Apr 23, 2019
208
0
The person I care for doesn't fit the 'norm' that family/friends think should be happening. ITt makes it hard to get support. He can be quite entertaining at times. a good 'host'

He seems ok, he is acting normal, do you think he is making it all up? makes me wonder.

It's just forgetting stuff yeah?

Ahh Alzheimer's, we all forget things dont worry about it ...

"I dont see it at all, I had a perfectly good conversation with him 10 days ago!"

Well he remembered who I was... and talked about what he has been doing.

Well if he doesn't do 'insert task...' just ask him I am sure he would do it. Maybe you need to be asking him to do it. Instead of expecting or presuming he cant/wont

All things said to me after friends have visited us. The last comment made after I talked about how he is losing empathy, telling her how I had come home soaked through, in the past he would have grabbed a towel for me and made a cup of tea. Now he doesn't even acknowledge I am back, and he wants the cup of tea making for him! lol my friend didn't get what I meant at all, and thinks I should order a cup of tea as I walk in. The cup of tea wasn't the issue....

Just makes me feel like i am making it all up. But also closed down the support I thought I had from these people. Most people have no idea. Its a word they know... it's a memory thing yeah? It's hard to educate people ...........but we have to keep trying.
 

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