"Why did he get dementia?" After a diagnosis this is a common question asked and the possible reasons are discussed at length amongst the family with various causes being suggested. Is it because of his diabetes? Maybe because of his dietary habits? And the cruelest of all these, "it happened because he never bothered to exercise his brain." The reality is that in most cases where there is dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, Lewy bodies, or Frontotemporal dementia, there is no such cause that can be really pinpointed.
Instead of searching for a cause after getting a diagnosis, energies are better directed to understanding the situation and the prognosis, and planning for care and support. Trying to attribute a cause is more like assigning blame, and will not help the situation but only create feelings of guilt.
This line from the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration sums it up: The three C’s: I didn’t cause it. I can’t change it; and I can’t control it.
Instead of searching for a cause after getting a diagnosis, energies are better directed to understanding the situation and the prognosis, and planning for care and support. Trying to attribute a cause is more like assigning blame, and will not help the situation but only create feelings of guilt.
This line from the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration sums it up: The three C’s: I didn’t cause it. I can’t change it; and I can’t control it.
