The psychological consequences of learning a diagnosis of dementia: Three case examples

Abstract

The question of disclosure of dementia diagnosis has become of greater significance in recent years, probably in part due to people presenting at earlier stages of the disorder and the necessity for patients to be able to consent to drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease and greater public awareness of the condition. This paper describes the effects on three people of learning their diagnosis, and a psychological intervention used with them. The methodological problems of research in this area are discussed, and the related question of what types of intervention may be useful to maintain self-esteem, social functioning and cognitive abilities following diagnosis.