At Dementia Solutions, we have worked with hundreds of families and sadly, the majority of the people we have supported are caring for someone who is affected by anosognosia (ano·sog·no·sia).
What is Anosognosia you ask?
Well, we’ve been receiving this question a lot lately and felt we should shed some light on it. Anosognosia is a condition in which a person is unaware of their own illness or disability. This condition is seen in approximately 80% of people with dementia. Dementia is currently affecting over 50 million people worldwide.
When a person is affected by dementia and anosognosia, they often have difficulty recognizing their own cognitive decline and may deny that there is anything wrong with them. This lack of awareness can make it really challenging for caregivers to provide the necessary care and support. This is one of the main reasons why families reach out to us at Dementia Solutions.
The caregivers often find it difficult to convince a person with dementia that they need assistance or that they are unable to perform certain tasks on their own. This can lead to frustration, arguments, and stress for both the caregiver and the person with dementia.
Understanding The Condition
It is essential to understand that anosognosia is not the same as denial. Denial is a conscious decision to ignore or reject the reality of a situation. Anosognosia, on the other hand, is an unconscious lack of awareness of one’s condition. It is not a choice, but rather a symptom of dementia.
An important lesson that all families and caregivers should know when they realize that the person who they are caring for is affected by anosognosia, is that it will not be effective whatsoever to try hard to convince or prove to the person their deficits or that they indeed need help. Those who have tried this approach soon realize how unsuccessful this turns out.
Seek Help
If someone you know is experiencing anosognosia, it is important to seek support so that you can learn the creative strategies that will need to be personalized in order to help everyone get through the day-to-day. Know that we at Dementia Solutions have ideas that we would love to share with you on how to best support a person with anosognosia. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] or go to our website www.DementiaSolutions.ca to book your free 20-minute phone or Zoom consultation. Please don’t journey this challenge alone, there are solutions.
