Taboo words to avoid with Dementia

Words and descriptions to avoid People have identified the words they believe should never be used to describe dementia or people with dementia.

These words have appeared in print media in recent years and were identified as especially harmful: words that make people physically flinch when they hear or read them; words that imply life with dementia is not worth living, or that people with dementia are helpless and have nothing to contribute; words that attach negativity to the person rather than to the condition; and words that reinforce stereotypes.

Dementia sufferer

Demented

Senile or senile

Burden

Victim

Plague

Epidemic

Enemy of Humanity

Living death (e.g. dementia is a living death)