Telling other health or social care providers about the person’s diagnosis of dementia can be helpful. This includes the dentist, optometrist, or – if you go to the hospital – doctors and nurses at a hospital. Most health care providers need an accurate medical history to deliver the best care. This includes knowing that the person you care for has dementia.
Once health and social care providers know that the person is living with dementia, they can make adaptations to the services they provide or make allowances to help. For example, if the person with dementia wishes to attend the appointments independently, they can ask for a written summary of the appointment and the things they need to do afterwards such as arrange blood tests or an x-ray. They may ask for a longer appointment or ask to bring you, the care partner, with them.
Health and social care providers will keep personal information, including a dementia diagnosis, confidential.
Not all health or social care providers are experienced with dementia. Some care partners have told us that they sometimes need to help educate their providers. See section 2.12 on being assertive when speaking with health care providers about dementia.
It might also be helpful to share the diagnosis with other professionals who help the person living with dementia with legal and financial planning, such as their accountant or lawyer.
