Dementia Fact or Fiction: An Early Diagnosis

There is no cure for dementia. Why even get a diagnosis? Fact or fiction: Ignorance is bliss. Fiction!  

At the Dementia Institute, we field questions from people who are wondering about their memory:

• “I walked into the kitchen the other day, but I couldn’t remember why.”
• “I listened to this song a zillion times when I was in my 20s. But for the life of me, I can’t remember the name of it!”

The next question is inevitable:  “Should I be worried?”

And our answer will be, “Not necessarily.”  

Normal aging involves a certain amount of “memory lapses,” for lack of a better word. We momentarily forget the name of that band we used to listen to all the time. Or we’re absolutely perplexed as to why we wandered into the kitchen.

Typically, the difference between normal aging versus something to be concerned about is the ability to remember eventually. In other words, I may initially forget why I walked into the kitchen, but if I can mentally retrace my thought process, it will probably all come back to me.  

Concerns arise when that recall doesn’t happen. I can’t remember why I walked into the kitchen. There’s no way I can come up with the name of that band.

Even so, that doesn’t mean a diagnosis of dementia is inevitable. But a visit with my physician is definitely in order. A primary care physician can do a simple screening to evaluate whether additional testing is needed.  

But what if there is a diagnosis of dementia in my future? 

 It’s at this point where some people may say, I don’t want to know. Ignorance is bliss. But consider this: 

The Lancet, one of the oldest, most respected medical journals, recently published its 2024 report on dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The authors state, “For people living with dementia, interventions after diagnosis can help to maximize physical health, improve quality of life, reduce hospitalizations, and plan for the future.” ¹ 

In fact, the authors note that in the four years since their last report, much more evidence is now available that supports ongoing care and intervention for both the persons living with the dementia and the family members who support them.

Simply stated, “Interventions after diagnosis help people to live well with dementia.”

Rosemary Apol-Hoezee, RN, MPH, CPRHM
Dementia Specialist