What is dementia discrimination?
Discrimination means treating someone poorly due to a personal characteristic.
Dementia UK writes that stigma and discrimination against people with dementia often result from a lack of understanding about the condition. People might not realise that certain symptoms are caused by a person’s dementia and blame them for the way they are behaving and treat them badly as a result. For example, someone may treat a person unfairly if they believe they are misunderstanding and uncooperating deliberately, but it is a result of their condition. This is dementia discrimination.
What causes dementia discrimination?
Dementia discrimination can be due to a lack of understanding about the condition.
Dementia and discrimination may be due to a lack of understanding of the condition and its symptoms, which can lead to blame and mistreatment. If a disease is poorly understood like dementia, it is easy for false beliefs to spread which may lead to stigma and discrimination. Educating people about dementia and its symptoms can help reduce discrimination and result in those living with the condition being treated with respect, kindness and consideration.
How discrimination can affect people with dementia
Reduced self-esteem
Discrimination may result in lowered self-esteem and self-confidence. Being discriminated against for any characteristic is unpleasant, and this applies to those with dementia too. Being treated poorly due to the condition can cause the individual to believe they are deserving of poor treatment incorrectly.
Segregation
Dementia UK says this may mean that those with dementia may only attend specific groups and services for people with dementia, rather than continuing to attend other interest groups. Due to discrimination, they may feel this is the only place for them and thus segregate themselves from society or others without dementia.
Reduced contact
Families and friends of those with dementia may reduce contact with the person due to it being more difficult to spend time with them due to specific symptoms of the condition. It may be ‘easier’ to avoid contact altogether rather than take the time to understand dementia and take measures to communicate better.
Reduced control over life
Caregivers may assume that the person with dementia is unable to make serious decisions about their life and healthcare. While this can be true for some, not everyone with dementia is unable to make their own decisions themselves. This can lead to them feeling like they have no control over their own life.
Mental health issues
Getting treated poorly in any circumstance inevitably leads to poor mental health. Being discriminated against can increase anxiety and depression, and the same is true for dementia discrimination. They may already be struggling to come to terms with their condition and being treated poorly in addition may make it even harder.
Reduced access to services
Certain services such as therapy or rehabilitation may become inaccessible to a person with dementia. If a caregiver assumes their loved one is unable to communicate well during these services, they may decide they’re not an option. They may have been beneficial to the person with dementia but are now inaccessible to them.
How can you deal with discrimination against dementia patients?
Emphathise
People who may discriminate against those with dementia may not be very well educated on the condition and have certain incorrect beliefs or stigmas. Or, they may come from a culture with little understanding of dementia where education on the subject is not available.
Educate
Educating on what dementia is can help adapt someone’s behaviour to be more respectful. You can also teach someone about how an individual may uniquely act with their dementia so they can better understand some actions or words are not on purpose.
Take action
If someone persists in being discriminative despite understanding the condition, you can talk to the person and take action. You can make a complaint if the discrimination has taken place in a professional environment, or contact others for further advice.
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