50 Dementia Quotes About the Life-Changing Diagnosis

Dementia quotes to help you deal with the diagnosis of someone close to you.

Many people liken dementia to mental disorders like schizophrenia, but they are not the same at all.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Dementia is not a specific disease, but is rather a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing everyday activities.”

While dementia itself is not a disease, there are diseases that fall under dementia, with the most common being Alzheimer’s disease, followed by in order: Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and Frontotemporal dementia.

Alzheimer’s accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases and is known for memory loss.

Although aging can slow down some cognitive functions, dementia is not a normal part of aging.

Take a look at these Dementia quotes to learn more about this diagnosis.

You will also enjoy our article on Alzheimer’s quotes.

Dementia Quotes to Raise Awareness

It’s important to continue raising awareness for dementia and related diseases like Alzheimer’s so we can find a cure.

1. “Dementia is a particularly long farewell to the self.” — Nicci Gerrard

2. “Our goal is to continue to build the pipeline to fight all aspects of disease for all forms of dementia.” — Vivek Ramaswamy

3. “People with Alzheimer’s deserve to be seen so that we can find a cure.” — Julianne Moore

4. “There’s just so much scientifically that we don’t know, and we can know.” — Miles D. White

5. “None of us wants to be reminded that dementia is random, relentless, and frighteningly common.” — Laurie Graham

6. “Even though helpful medication exists, there’s still no cure, and we have to keep fighting to find one.” — Sally Noelle

7. “Dementia does not rob someone of their dignity. It’s our reaction to them that does.” — Teepa Snow

8. “People do not realize that Alzheimer’s is not old age. It is a progressive and fatal disease, and staggering amounts of people develop Alzheimer’s every day.” — Melina Kanakaredes

9. “Sufferers look and act the same, but beneath the familiar exterior, something quite different is going on. They’re in another world, and you cannot enter.” — Carol Thatcher

10. “Alzheimer’s is literally killing us, and the only way to fight this ‘crime’ is through a groundswell of people who continue to raise their voices and funds to ensure it gets the attention it deserves.” — Tess Gerritsen

Loss of Memory and Dementia Quotes

These quotes give a glimpse into the impact that dementia creates.

11. “Memory loss is strange. It’s like showing up for a movie after it’s started.” — Elizabeth Langston

12. “At best, we will be able to halt the disease. Prevention will be much more important.” — Michel Goedert

13. “Why feel ashamed of having a complex brain disease? People are afraid to talk about it.” — Wendy Mitchell

14. “Dementia is a complex condition, one that is not easily understood or explained. It is a disease of the brain that takes away memory, language, and ultimately, identity.” — Maria Shriver

15. “People with Alzheimer’s can’t change the way it makes them act any more than a cancer patient can keep the cancer cells from spreading.” — Brandyn Shoemaker

16. “Though those with Alzheimer’s might forget us, we as a society must remember them.” — Scott Kirshenbaum

17. “A man does not consist of memory alone. He has feeling, will, sensibility, moral being… It is here… you may touch him and see a profound change.” — Oliver Sacks

18. “While the final chapter of my life with dementia may be trying, nothing has diminished my gratitude and deep appreciation for the countless blessings in my life.” — Sandra Day O’Connor

19. “Dementia is often regarded as a disease of the mind, overwhelming and isolating. But it is also a disease of the family, testing the love and strength of relationships in ways unimaginable.” — Arthur Kleinman

20. “Of course, there is loss with dementia, but what matters is how we approach our losses and our gains. Reframing dementia as a different way of being, as a window into another reality, lets people living in that state be our teachers — useful, true humans, who contribute to our collective good, instead of scary zombies.” — Dana Walrath

Dealing with Dementia Quotes

Dealing with someone with dementia can feel challenging, but the work is so important.

21. “Caregiving often calls us to lean into love we didn’t know possible.” — Tia Walker

22. “If you find yourself caring for a relative with dementia, the chances are you’ll need help.” — Phyllis Logan

23. “Dementia care—it’s not rocket science, it’s heart science.” —Gail Weatherill, RN

24. “My dementia hasn’t just affected me – it’s affected my friends and family, too.” — Gerry Anderson

25. “Even If I can’t cure, I can still care.” — Sally P. Karioth RN, PhD

26. “I like it when people remember that I’m a person, not just a person with Alzheimer’s.” — Sally Hepworth

27. “Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” — Socrates

28. “If you learn to listen for clues as to how I feel instead of what I say, you will be able to understand me much better.” — Mara Botonis

29. “Forgetting past memories doesn’t mean that you were not a part of it. You build those memories, and your loved ones know it well.” — Caroline Lee

30. “You may share the same memories from your youth with us time and time again, but the sheer joy you show in telling those stories with such a big smile goes beyond making up the loss of new stories.” — Renee Fry

When a Loved One Has Dementia Quotes

If you have a loved one with dementia, you’ll relate to these quotes.

31. “Some days, there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.” — Emory Austin

32. “Release in your mind who your loved one used to be and accept who they are today.” — J. Rusnak, PhD

33. “Alzheimer’s caregivers are heroes.” — Leeza Gibbons

34. “The disease might hide the person underneath, but there’s still a person in there who needs your love and attention.” — Jamie Calandriello

35. “To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.” — Tia Walker

36. “I’ve never minded solitude; for a writer, it’s a natural condition. But caring for a dementia sufferer leads to a peculiar kind of loneliness.” — Laurie Graham

37. “Although your loved one may not remember you or might do things that frustrate you, this is the time when he or she needs you the most.” — Angie Nunez Merryman

38. “Alzheimer’s creates a kind of friction that the family needs to be strong for. You have to hold onto things and know what is true in life.” — Candy Crowley

39. “Once you understand that it’s a medical condition, you become a little more compassionate. You get less frustrated.” — Kim Campbell

40. “My grandmother has dementia, and my mother is looking after her as her primary caregiver. Seeing their relationship has had a profound impact, seeing how tough it is for both of them and seeing how the roles change and how my mother has gone from being a daughter to being the mother.” — Felicity Jones

Comfort When Dealing with Dementia Quotes

Find comfort to keep overcoming the struggles of dementia in the following quotes.

41. “One person caring about another represents life’s greatest value.” — Jim Rohn

42. “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” — Mother Teresa

43. “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” — Lao Tzu

44. “To love a person is to learn the song in their heart and sing it to them when they have forgotten.” — Arne Garborg

45. The measure of life isn’t its duration, but its donation.” — Peter Marshall

46. “Alzheimer’s makes us realize that we are not alone – that kindness and compassion are everywhere and all around us.” — Rosalys Peel

47. “Caring for our seniors is perhaps the greatest responsibility we have. Those who walked before us have given so much and made possible the life we all enjoy.” — John Hoeven

48. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” — Dalai Lama

49. “But for people who are at the end stages of dementia, death should not be fought against. It’s a kindness; let them go.” — Nicci Gerrard

50. “Kindness can transform someone’s dark moment with a blaze of light. You’ll never know how much your caring matters.” — Amy Leigh-Mercree

How Can I Reduce the Risk of Dementia?

Although age, family history of dementia, and brain injuries increase our chances of developing a form of dementia, there are some things we can do to reduce the risk.

Things you can do to reduce the risk of dementia are: eating healthy, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking and excess alcohol.

Please share these dementia quotes with your family and friends and post any comments about dementia in the comment section below.