Are dementia patients aware of their condition?
Initially, yes, although they most likely have not been diagnosed at that point. Forgetfulness is a hallmark of the disease, and those with early-stage Alzheimers are very good at compensating for what they know they’re forgetting. They might not realize they have it as they can justify their behaviour by saying, “Oh, I’m just getting old and forgetful.”
They know enough to be vague when answering questions, though. They know enough to hide things. Some understand to write things down as they are aware of the fact that they’ll forget. The complication comes when dementia starts to affect work performance or when they forget how to get somewhere familiar. It gets them angry and frustrated, even if they can’t put their finger on the reason. That being said, Alzheimer’s, while progressive, does not progress in a straight line. In the later stages, the person may not be lucid enough to be aware of the passage of time or of what’s going on around them, so by then, they won’t be mindful of their Alzheimer’s at all.