The word anosognosia is composed of three Greek roots, which combine to mean “without knowledge of disease.” Changes in the brain cause individuals with mental ...FINDCAREFORUMCARETOPICSLogInCaregivingTopics|Alzheimer's&Dementia|ArticlesFollowUnfollowShareXSharewithfriendsSendTo:YourE-Mail:YourName:YourLastName:SendEmailCancelAredementiapatientsawareoftheircondition?Familymembersandcaregiversoftenponderthisquestionastheirlovedonesbeginexperiencingtelltalesymptomslikememoryproblems,poorjudgement,confusionandbehaviorchanges.Inasimilarvein,membersoftenseekadviceontheAgingCareCaregiverForumastowhyanagingparentorspouseisadamantlyrefusingcare.FormanyseniorswhohavebeendiagnosedwithAlzheimer’sdiseaseorotherformsofdementia,theyrefusetostopdriving,won’tacceptin-homecareandresisttheideaofmovingtoseniorlivingbecausetheyareunawarethattheyneedassistance.Thesadtruthisthatadeclineinmentalfunctionessentiallyaffectsone’sabilitytounderstandandacknowledgeoftheextentofone’simpairment.Thisleavesdementiacaregiversinatrickyspot.AnosognosiaIsNotDenialofDementiaKnownasanosognosia,thislackofawarenessdiffersfromtheshockanddenialthatmanyindividualsandfamiliesexperiencefollowinganinitialdementiadiagnosis.ThewordanosognosiaiscomposedofthreeGreekroots,whichcombinetomean“withoutknowledgeofdisease.”Changesinthebraincauseindividualswithmentalillness,traumaticbraininjury,braintumors,stroke,Alzheimer’sdiseaseorotherformsofdementiatotrulybelievethatthereisnothingwrongwiththem.Anestimated60percentofpatientswithmildcognitiveimpairment(MCI)and81percentofpatientswithAlzheimer’sdiseaseexhibitsomeformofanosognosia.Tocomplicatemattersfurther,levelsandareasofself-awarenessvaryfrompersontoperson.Asenior'slackofinsightintotheirimpairmentcanbeselectiveorcomplete,anditcanpertaintotheirmemory,generalthinkingskills,emotionsand/orphysicalabilities.BrowseOurFreeSeniorCareGuidesThewaysinwhichthosewithanosognosiareacttomentionsoftheirdeficienciesvariesaswell.Forexample,adementiapatientmayexperienceoccasionaldifficultywit