A Rose by Any Other Name Would Still Stink

I hate the name of this disease.

No offense to Dr. Alois Alzheimer, but it's just not a catchy name. And it's way too easy for people to change it to "old timers" and dismiss it as something normal that happens to the elderly. It's not normal. That kind of thinking only works till it hits someone you love. Or yourself.

Dementia seems even worse to me. How is this a respectful name? You would be insulted if someone told you your actions where demented. Everyone but the most ignorant have stopped saying retarded because of the stigma attached to that word. Where's a kinder word for a disease where the person can't remember that they are ill, and so every time they hear the diagnosis once again feel the shame and surprise of being told they are demented - a word used interchangeably with crazy in our society?

And I love Harry Potter, but a whole new generation of people are going to grow up associating the word Dementia with Dementors: "Soulless creatures considered to be among the foulest beasts on Earth. They are soul-sucking fiends who guard the wizard prison, Azkaban."

Names are important and it should be possible to change them. Just ask anyone named Britney and I bet they'll tell you.