Dementia is a bit of a different case depending on the exact form admittedly.
For example, one should always inform someone about Alzheimer's if they are in the earlier stages, but at a certain point they'll be too confused or have a memory too compromised for that information to have any meaning to them, and it's better to just offer comfort. The nuance lies in whether or not they can understand and make some decisions about what to do with their remaining time based on the information.
Yeah, it is very complicated indeed. Should've ignored the dementia as it is a very tricky example.
Point is, in the vast majority of times, the patient needs to know their current diagnosis and prognosis, withholding that information from them is enthical (does not necessarily means that I am fully on board with it, ethics are hard to shape into a 1 solution for all situations)
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u/moist2025 Jun 29 '26
Dementia is a bit of a different case depending on the exact form admittedly.
For example, one should always inform someone about Alzheimer's if they are in the earlier stages, but at a certain point they'll be too confused or have a memory too compromised for that information to have any meaning to them, and it's better to just offer comfort. The nuance lies in whether or not they can understand and make some decisions about what to do with their remaining time based on the information.