Potential negative consequences of early identification of cognitive impairment clearly exist. Labelling an individual as demented may affect his or her ability to obtain life or health insurance, and may influence attitudes towards the individual by health care professionals and others. The label of Alzheimer’s disease may cause prejudice and difficulty in gaining admission to some long-term facilities. The negative effects of labelling an older person as demented have not been studied systematically, although a small body of social science literature explores this important area. Negative attitudes have been identified among professionals and lay people
