It can be incredibly difficult to break the news to your loved one that they have been diagnosed with dementia, whether it’s coming from you or their doctor. It’s not only a big impact on your loved one’s life, but yours as well — whether you plan on becoming a caregiver for them in the future, or just want to spend as much cherished time with them as possible.

As to whether you should tell them, in most cases the answer is plainly “yes”. The majority of medical professionals say that if the person affected has asked you about their diagnosis, you should tell them honestly as they have the right to know about their own health. However, they also have the right not to know if they have explicitly requested not to.

How To Prepare For The Diagnosis

By default, the individual going in for the medical checkup should have the right to know whether a diagnosis is confirmed or not. In most cases, people will be able to make that informed decision if they are aware that they are going in for a medical checkup. But again — the patient also has the right to inform you and their doctor that they do not wish to know of their diagnosis.

How Should I Tell Them?

It’s likely that a specialist, doctor, or the assessment team will inform the person of their diagnosis, but this can also be done by you and your family, whether individually or in a group.

If you will be the one telling them, you can consider having someone else around when it’s time to break the news — preferably someone you and the patient both know and trust. Having more people around can give them additional support that they may need. It may help to plan for this kind of scenario ahead of time.

However, you must remember that every individual has a different way of responding and thus, you must navigate breaking the news delicately in the manner that’s best for their unique situation.

Here are a few things to keep in mind while sharing your loved one’s dementia diagnosis:

• Speak calmly and slowly to the person affected.
• Try keeping the environment quiet and eliminate background noises and distractions.
• Let them process: speak to the person directly and disseminate one message at a time. Don’t flood their mind with multiple things at once.
• Give the person time to take in the news of their diagnosis. Let them take their time to think and ask questions.
• Having some written information on dementia on hand can act as a valuable reference for you and the person affected.
• Try having someone around who can provide additional support and information.

What Kind Of Information Should I Share?

• Try explaining why their symptoms are occurring.
• Tell them about the possible treatments for their symptoms. While dementia does not yet have a cure, discussing treatment options can open a window of opportunity for them to discuss their plans for the future.
• Discuss the type of dementia your loved one has. Ensure that the explanation is easy to understand and follow, and don’t overwhelm them with too much information at once. Let them ask any questions that they may have.
• Open a dialogue about support initiatives and specialized services for people who have been diagnosed with dementia.

At the end of the day, it’s most important to remember that every individual operates differently, and what is most important is respecting your loved one’s wishes. Whatever decision they make should be honored.

Remember that this is a stressful period for you, too. Ensure that you are taking care of yourself as well — doing so will pay dividends for both you and your loved one in the future.

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