When a person is diagnosed with dementia they may not understand or accept their diagnosis. This may be because the person is in denial, or because they have what is known as ‘lack of insight’.

Friends or family members, including those who are caring for the person, can also be in denial and find a dementia diagnosis difficult to accept.

Trying to get help and support can be difficult when someone doesn’t understand or acknowledge that they have dementia. But support and care at home can help a person to stay independent for longer and to live well with dementia. 

Denial and lack of insight are different. They can both cause a person with dementia not to understand or accept their diagnosis.