11th July 2023

Discussing dementia: a difficult conversation we need to have

Lara Barton

Partner

Further to my post a couple of months ago, 'Dealing with a dementia diagnosis', Fiona Phillips' recent very brave and honest conversation around her Alzheimer's diagnosis reminds us that in spite of the personal challenge and difficulty of facing up to such a diagnosis, these challenges and difficulties may well be amplified where there is a reluctance to talk about the diagnosis and plan for what lies ahead.

It is a common and natural instinct to avoid difficult conversations about unpleasant realities, such as miscarriage, death, or terminal diagnoses. It is often borne out of feeling uncomfortable and not knowing what to say – as a result, we may say nothing at all, by which time it may be too late to help.

We should listen to the wise words of Fiona Phillips and try to remove the stigma of talking about subjects that make us feel uncomfortable.

This is particularly so in the case of a dementia diagnosis. Whilst Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia, it is only one of many types of dementia. It is currently estimated that there are 55 million people living with dementia around the globe and this number will rise to 139 million by 2050. This is a subject that we should talk about and plan for in order to help our loved ones and ourselves.

We have a number of lawyers at Hunters who are experienced in dealing with the legal and certain practical implications of a dementia diagnosis, and who can advise as to the best steps to take at any given point.