Talking to Someone at Different Stages of Alzheimer's
Handling the loss of important memories
Mid-stage is also the time that someone with Alzheimer’s might forget important life moments from the past, such as the death of a loved one. This can be tricky to handle, especially when the patient is asking when someone who has died will be home.
Most families will choose to deal with this kind of situation differently. Some may choose to tell the patient the truth - even if that means that they will be living through their loved one's death over and over. Others will choose to tell a white lie and say something like “Oh, Dad’s just run out to the store, he should be home soon.” Neither one of those tactics is wrong. It’s purely a choice and ultimately up to the family to decide how they choose to handle it.
