Truth

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened." Winston Churchill

Well known for his wit, Churchill seems in form in the above quote.  The reason it brings a smile to my face is that I can resonate.  I have noticed in my life that it takes courage for a person to really take a look at the truth. That is one function of denial; to support people until they are ready to face the truth of their situation.  The problem can occur when people do not move out of denial.  So, what does it mean to face the truth?  It means to look at things realistically.  In the case of us who provide care for someone with dementia: it can mean that we face the fact that the person for whom we provide care can no longer be expected to do some of the things we think they "should" be able to do.  It means not hiding from life circumstances; taking off our rose colored glasses.  This does not mean, in my opinion, that we become jaded or negative.  It means only that we objectively assess our life situation and stop kidding ourselves about it.  Then we can take appropriate action.