NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE Alariss Schmid, regional lead Medicine Hat for the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories, talks with Roger Marple in the organization's local office.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Some of the words people choose to use can be hurtful and perpetuate a stigma, says a local resident who was diagnosed with dementia several years ago.
The word Roger Marple would like everyone to rethink is “sufferer.”
“Don’t call me a sufferer. Let’s not assume they are all suffering,” said Marple.
He remembers looking at an online posting that included a photo of a group of people standing around eating, drinking and in conversation. The caption for the photo called the people Alzheimer’s “sufferers.” He immediately noticed that they did not look as though they were suffering at all. The idea of suffering also adds to the stigma that everyone diagnosed with dementia is suffering, he said.
Every year 25,000 people in Canada are diagnosed with dementia, according to the Alzheimer Society of Canada’s website.
“What kind of message are we telling these people,” said Marple. “Changing the language can give a message of hope.”
Due in part of the vast quantity of publications that describe people in the end stages of dementia, society has developed a mental image of dementia, said Marple. For many it means an elderly person in a care home.
“There’s 1,000 faces to dementia. We need to see all the faces,” said Marple, noting many are interacting with people daily who have dementia and have no idea.
There are numerous forms of dementia and some even have little to do with memory issues, said Marple. You don’t need to know what kind of dementia someone has in order to respond appropriately.
Marple remembers being with a family member at a public function months after he was diagnosed with dementia. A friend approached them, ignored Marple and asked the family member how he was doing.
If you do not know how well the individual is functioning and are unsure how to talk to them, Marple says it is simple.
“Just approach them like you would anybody,” said Marple, noting that depending on their response you can modify how you continue the conversation.
Marple says there are good days and bad for anyone with dementia. If they are having a tough day their level of stress may have increased and they may be grateful for some help. You don’t have to know if they have dementia or not. Just reach out and ask if you can help.
Another word Marple dislikes is “victim.” He says he is not a victim and feels that the word is demeaning.
The Alzheimer’s Society suggests the word “disease” can be hurtful and the term “condition” is preferred.
Marple says the whole point of reducing the use of these words is to reduce stigma, which is the No. 1 issue world-wide for people diagnosed with dementia.
January is Alzheimer’s awareness month.
The Medicine Hat office of the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories is located in the Mohawk Medical building unit 201, 770 6 Street S.W. Telephone: 403-528-2700.
https://alzheimer.ca/en/ab/About-us/alberta-offices/Medicine-Hat
