How does health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes affect the care of patients with dementia?

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Attitudes of health professionals are very often affected by the stigma they place upon their demented patients. Stigma can manifest itself in many forms from discrimination, ignorance, isolation to outright abuse, maltreatment and in some cases even death. The cognitive reactions of caregivers towards the mental and physical deterioration of the demented person, the emotional reactions such as pity, fear, shame, disgust and repulsion as well as behavioural reactions such as distancing and reducing interaction with him are all dimensions of stigma. Stigma is the reason why individuals and organizations act in a non-supportive manner and emphasize on symptoms instead of supporting the abilities that people with dementia retain as well as the reason for a lower standard care within the health care profession. Therefore, I strongly believe that an important factor to provide a more effective care of demented people, is eliminating stigma surrounding the disease.