Frontotemporal Dementia Caregiver Support Center

Apathy is the state of not caring, not feeling one way or another about something. It can also be defined as the lack of feeling or emotion or lack of interest or concern.

Wikipedia Encyclopedia says, , "Apathy is the lack of emotion, motivation, or enthusiasm. Apathy is a psychological term for a state of indifference — where an individual is unresponsive or "indifferent" to aspects of emotional, social, or physical life. Clinical apathy is considered to be at an elevated level, while a moderate level might be considered depression, and an extreme level could be diagnosed as a dissociative disorder. The physical aspect of apathy associated with physical deterioration, muscle loss, and lack of energy is called lethargy — which has many pathological causes as well."

When a pFTD 's apathy increases it can make the person more reliant on the caregiver and thus increase the caregiver's stress level. By understanding what apathy is and how it affects the whole family, we can help the caregiver deal with this issue.

While there is really not much to say about apathy, my goal is to give examples of what apathy really is, so that you can identify it. If you have a good example and do not mind sharing your story, please send an e-mail to jeffbrauer@cableone.net.