Behaviour & Distress
Dementia and wanting to go to work: what can I say?
Work can represent responsibility, routine and belonging long after retirement. Acknowledge what the role meant rather than testing the person’s memory. Talking about familiar tasks may help you understand their concern without promising a trip or insisting they are wrong.
You could try: “Your work mattered to you. Tell me about your day there.”
Hugo is the guide inside The Dementia Assistant, helping you explore dementia questions in more detail.
General educational guidance, not individual medical advice or an emergency service.
Explore this question with Hugo on The Dementia Assistant®. Hugo can help you consider the topic in more detail: “A person with dementia keeps saying they need to go to work. What should I say, and how can I respond without causing more distress?”