One of the interesting things about speaking two languages and having lived in two different cultures, is discovering differences in the cultural meanings of words. I have lived in Denmark since 2004, and I came in knowing the US jargon used in Gerontology and in dementia care, but had to learn how the Danish language describes the terms. (Jargon is the vocabulary used by a particular trade, profession, or group – like how medical terminology is medical jargon). Continue reading
Tag Archives: language
Breaking stigma: stop saying they are “suffering”!
Yes, let’s stop referring to individuals by their diagnosis or handicaps, let’s stop saying people with dementias (and many other conditions) are “sufferers” or “suffering with the disease.” Let’s stop calling them patients, when they are individuals carrying out their daily lives.
Let’s break stigma associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by choosing our words more carefully and increasing our understanding of one another. Let’s grow compassion and acceptance through our thoughtful choice of words.
Doctor Dementia and the Dementia Adventure 