Are Doctors Failing to Tell Patients of Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s? And Why Not?

The Alzheimer’s Association’s 2015 Facts & Figures Report that many doctors fail to tell patients (or their family members) about a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is getting a lot of attention, including this Morning Edition story. 

Why aren’t doctors revealing their diagnoses?  During my work in Northern Ireland on access to justice for older adults, we realized that the doctor’s diagnosis is a key opportunity for families to receive early advice about “non-medical” planning, such as arranging for powers of attorney or other arrangements for financial management, while the patient has adequate cognition to help with decision-making.  If communication of the diagnosis is delayed, the window for effective participation in planning may also be lost.