Sometimes telling a white lie, "therapeutic fibbing" or redirecting a conversation can be prudent strategies in response to questions from someone battling Alzheimer's disease.
There is a struggle that caregivers frequently face when making choices and giving answers to questions that might undoubtedly create additional stress to an individual with dementia, especially with more advanced dementia or Alzheimer's disease. How to handle this is difficult and, is the truth the best approach? Or, is a white lie, "therapeutic fibbing" or redirecting the conversation a possible approach?
There is no perfect answer and at times, it is best to choose a path of least stress. Especially in the moment, when there is no time to think and reflect, white lies or redirecting the conversation to a new topic are options or strategies.
For example, one might ask about a person close to them, like a sibling, spouse or dear friend. The truth could be that the person has died, a response sure to cause significant emotional stress to the person.
Choosing to tell a white lie, saying that the person in question is shopping or at home might be preferable to the truth. This can be the case especially if the person is in the later stages of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. One might make this choice if the real answer will cause great trauma to the individual and if the question might recur because the person with dementia quickly forgets that they just asked it, causing a cycle of stress.
Another approach is to carefully redirect the conversation to a different topic that will hopefully allow the original question to remain unanswered.
In essence, there is no exact answer. As the caregiver of a loved one with dementia, making choices in the moment may not be easy or simple or black and white. The best advice is to make the decision you think best at the time. As a follow up and for the future, ask for the advice of your loved one's doctor when you next have the opportunity.
To read more on this topic and various perspectives read this AARP article.
For more information on support groups, reach out to your local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Or connect with other great resources, National Institute on Aging or American Federation for Aging Research.
Check out the recent blog: Ultra-processed Foods and their Impact on Brain Health - Dr. Domenico Pratico, MD, FCPP
Domenico Praticò, MD, holds the position of the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation Chair for Alzheimer’s Research and serves as a Professor and the Founding Director at the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple, as well as a Professor of Neural Sciences at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.
For more information on the research conducted by Dr. Domenico Pratico, please visit this link.
Connect with Dr. Domenico Pratico through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Medium.
Stay updated with the work happening at Dr. Domenico Pratico's lab by visiting the Pratico Lab website.
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