People occasionally suggest that individuals living with dementia should wear a badge or lanyard identifying their condition to prevent misunderstandings in public. While the idea appears helpful at first glance, it raises important questions about dignity, stigma, safeguarding, and where responsibility for understanding should sit.
The words we use to talk about dementia shape how people are viewed, treated, and understood. Terms like “dementia patient” and “dementia sufferer” create powerful mental images rooted in loss, frailty, and dependency. This article explores why language matters, how it can reinforce stigma, and why person-centred terms such as “person living with dementia” better reflect dignity, identity, and lived experience.
GEM States are not a diagnostic tool and cannot identify the type or stage of dementia. This article explains why the framework still matters for health and care professionals, and how it supports calmer, clearer and more compassionate communication during brief, pressured encounters.
