Lying in dementia care: An example of a culture that deceives in people's best interests

Abstract

Deceiving, bending the truth and being dishonest are all terms used for the act of lying. The use of deception in health settings has a rich cross-cultural history. In relation to dementia care, first, Deceptive practices in managing a family member with Alzheimer's disease. Symbolic Interaction, 17(1), 21-36) distinguished between four kinds of lies used by staff: 'going along with a misperception', 'with-holding the truth', 'little white lies' and 'use of tricks'. This article examined the issue of deception, developing a questionnaire to investigate attitudes towards lying to people with dementia. Secondly, information on the use of lies was presented within a workshop to determine whether it would lead to attitude change.