{"id":1177,"date":"2017-06-06T11:23:52","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T05:53:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samvednacare.com\/blog\/?p=1177"},"modified":"2026-01-29T13:39:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T13:39:56","slug":"what-to-tell-a-loved-one-with-dementia-about-their-friends-and-family-who-have-passed-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samvednacare.com\/blog\/what-to-tell-a-loved-one-with-dementia-about-their-friends-and-family-who-have-passed-away\/","title":{"rendered":"What to tell a loved one with dementia about their friends and family who have passed away?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Telling a person with dementia that someone they love has passed away can be a very emotionally draining task. Like anyone, a person with dementia may respond to bereavement in a range of ways. The person may have to be told again and again, may still be shocked, and may mourn the loss seemingly for the first time, more than once. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

When someone close to a person with dementia dies, you may wonder whether to tell them and how many details to give, especially if finding out how the person died could be distressing. The approach to sharing this news requires a thoughtful and compassionate strategy. <\/span>Samvedna Care<\/b><\/a>, specializing in dementia care, emphasizes the importance of tailoring communication to the individual’s specific needs and circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth versus Lies…<\/b><\/p>\n

If someone they love has passed away, the person with <\/span>dementia diagnosis<\/span> ideally deserves to know. We may tell them with the thought that they deserve to mourn the loss of their loved one. After all, the person with dementia is still the same person with feelings, emotions, and connections. Often, we go on telling the person again and again that their husband, wife, or brother has died, as we don\u2019t want to lie to someone we love and respect.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, for a person with dementia, sometimes it\u2019s hard to register and remember the death. It is usually a good idea to tell them about the death initially and see how they react to the news. This will give you an idea about whether to tell them again or not. The mention of the death of their loved one seems to hit them as news every time they hear it. Telling them again and again makes them go through such a disturbing incident multiple times. <\/span><\/p>\n

How close was this person?<\/b><\/p>\n

Another factor that is important while making the decision is the relationship to the deceased. If the deceased is an extremely close family or friend, such as the spouse of the person with dementia, whom the person expects to see on a regular basis, it may be difficult to distract the person. Helping the person remember them, you can speak about them in past tense and sharing memories may help that person through the grieving process.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

How severe is the Dementia?<\/b><\/p>\n

When the disease has progressed too far, it becomes hard for a person with dementia to understand, remember, or process the knowledge of death. In such a situation, they may need constant reminders and may feel distressed at the knowledge every time.<\/span><\/p>\n

They may also not process the information properly. For example, an elderly woman may feel the pain of losing a younger brother when told that her brother has passed away because she may remember her brother from a different time.<\/span><\/p>\n

While many argue that the person with dementia still deserves to know, it may be a good idea to tell a person with such confusion only once or twice and then distract her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some tips for helping the elderly<\/span><\/p>\n