On dementia, we need to tell it how it is | Letter
David Lee responds to a letter questioning the use of language about people with dementia Sally Byers takes Polly Toynbee to task ( Letters, 19 October ) for using what she considers to be “deeply troubling language” about people with dementia, in particular the phrases “glazed stares or sleeping mouths agape” and “that terrible human vacancy” in Toynbee’s article ( In Liverpool I saw the tough…
In a recent letter, Sally Byers took Polly Toynbee to task for employing language that Byers deems "deeply troubling" in her article about her experiences in Liverpool with Louise Casey's social care challenges. One of the phrases that drew Byers' attention was Toynbee's use of "glazed stares or sleeping mouths agape" and "that terrible human vacancy".
To address this issue, Byers referred to the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project's language guide for journalists, which lists words and descriptions to avoid. One example is "dementia sufferer", with suggested alternatives being "person/people with dementia", "person/people living with dementia", or "person/people living well with dementia".
However, Lee argues that Toynbee accurately described her observations and that her words had a significant impact. Lee contends that in the care homes he has visited, the individuals with dementia were not "living well with dementia" but were, in fact, suffering. Therefore, Lee asks, why is it not acceptable to tell it like it is instead of trying to mask the reality?
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
