Telling People

Professor June Andrews talks about whether it is good to tell people about your problem, if you are not sure.

Whether to share the news with friends and family is a very personal decision. Where possible, if they still have capacity, its a decision for the person with dementia. Life can be very hard if one partner denies the other the permission to share, because that cuts off possible support.

There is still stigma attached to dementia, even though this is lessening as people become aware of how common it is . You may fear the shock and dismay of those you decide you have to tell. However, the people you MUST tell are the DVLA. You will not necessarily have to give up you driving license immediately, but you are required to tell them. In addition, some employment contracts might require you to reveal a health issue like this.
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Dementia and driving

Reviewed March 1, 2019

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Deterioration