FacebookTwitterWhenthepersonwithdementiadoesn’tknowtheyhavelimitations–AnosognosiabyEnhancingCareProgramStaff|Jan28,2020|0commentsByLisaBrousseau,MSW,RSWWatchour“YourQuestionsAnswered”videoonanosognosia–lossofawareness3min.12sec.Witnessingsomeoneprogressivelydeteriorateisoneofthechallengingandpainfulpartsofcaringforafamilymemberwithdementia.Youmayfindthatwhenyoutryanddiscusstheirchangesinmemoryandability,thepersonwithdementiawillbecomedefensive,agitated,depressedanddenythatanythingiswrong.Thiscancauseequallystrongemotionsinyou,asyoufindyourselffeelingworriedfortheperson’ssafety;frustrated,andunsureofhowtocope.It’sasthoughthepersonwithdementiahasnoideathattheyareshowinganysymptomsandthattheirabilitiesarechanging.Whatisreallygoingon?Doesn’tthepersonknowthattheyhavedementia?Theymaynot.Whatcanbeperceivedasdenialorbeingstubborncanactuallybealackofawarenessthatthereareanydeficits.Themedicaltermforthisis“anosognosia”anditmeans“withoutknowledgeofdisease”.Whenanosognosiaoccursthereisalimitedabilitytohaveinsightintoonestrueabilities.Thiscanbeselectiveorcomplete,anditcanimpacttheirmemory,generalthinkingskills,emotionsandphysicalabilities.Thisisaneurologicalproblemresultingindamagetocertainpartsofthebrain.Asaresult,thepersonyouarecaringformaynotbeablerecognizethesymptomsofdementiabecause:Theymayhaveforgottenthediagnosisduetotheeffectsdementiacanhaveontheirmemory(amnesia)andsowillnothaveinsightintoanydementiarelatedsymptoms.Theyarenotawareoftheimpactthatdementiarelatedsymptomshavehadontheirdaytodaylifeandmaylacktheawarenesstounderstandthattheycannotmanageindependently.Examplesofwhat“Anosognosia”canlooklikewhenyou’reprovidingcareforsomeonewithdementia: Mymominsiststhatshecandriveeventhoughherdoctorhadtotakeherlicenseaway.ShewilloftenaskmewherethecarkeysareandwillbecomesadandupsetwhenItellhershecan’tdriveanymore.Mywifeloveshostingdinnerpartiesandcookingelaboratemealsforourguests.SinceshehasbeendiagnosedwithAlzheimer’sdisease,Ihavenoticedthatsheoftenmixesuprecipesandcan’tmanagethew