Let us suppose that an old friend has just told you that his or her spouse is suffering from Alzheimer's or some other horrible form of dementia. It's very difficult to know what to say to your friend. You want be sympathetic and consoling, and polite, but you just can't find the right words. Perhaps the best you can do is to say nothing, just put your hand to your heart to indicate compassion, or give the guy or gal a sincere hug.
And here are some sentences that you should definitely avoid – all of them transcribed directly from real life.
1. "Think of it as a growth opportunity."
2. "My grandmother had Alzheimer's."
3. "My spouse has celiac disease."
4. "Everything happens for a reason."
5. "You should have tried ginkgo."
6. "Do you want to have a going away party when [s]he goes into the institution?"
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