For dementia patients, a concept known as ‘therapeutic lying’ exists that can actually be beneficial in these settings. This involves telling a dementia patient something harmless, even if it’s a white lie, so that it causes them comfort instead of distress. For instance, when a dementia patient asks for their deceased partner, you wouldn’t want to cause them anxiety. There are things you can say instead of reminding them that they’ve passed away. Instead, in a nursing setting, one would tell a patient, “Your husband will be returning later.” An Ohio couple decided to give a great grandma a special gift she could carry with her, even if it was staged. It truly warmed my heart.
Mia (@miabaker444) posted a loving TikTok video showing what she and her fiancé did for her great grandma. In the caption, she explains that they’re “fake proposing in front of my great grandma that has dementia before her mind completely goes and she doesn’t get to experience it.” This is one heartwarming and totally sweet example of a family putting their loved one first. They’re making sure they don’t miss out on such a special moment.
In the video, you can see the great grandma sitting and patiently waiting to see what’s about to unravel before her. Mia’s fiancé gets down on one knee and asks, “Will you marry me?” When he does, her great grandma’s pure look of excitement cannot be contained. She can’t stop exclaiming, “Oh!” and taking a look at Mia’s beautiful ring. You can tell that this moment meant everything to her and it’s the absolute sweetest thing. She then claps and says, “How wonderful!”
Other commenters shared that they’ve also done things like this for their loved ones so they could experience that happiness. One shared, “My grandma had dementia and when I was pregnant, she would forget. So every time she saw me, she was excited all over again.” Another person stated, “If dementia ever happens to me, I hope I have people in my life who love me enough to fake events all so that I can be part of them.” Dementia is unforgiving and unrelenting. It helps to have understanding loved ones who want the best for you in your aging life. That’s the kind of love every person deserves.
