The problem isn’t language, but the attitudes of society

The problem isn’t language, but the attitudes of society I’d like to take issue with Michael Wolff’s assertion regarding the new logo for the Alzheimer’s Society (Letters, DW 4 October) that ‘dementia is a word that needs to go’.

Too often important issues around human stigmas are ignored by blaming society’s attitudes on language. The terminology is not at fault – prejudice towards the condition of dementia is. Losing the term dementia in favour of a politically correct alternative will only work for as long as it takes for the new term to become a stigma in itself. Society has to tackle the issue head on by changing people’s opinions towards dementia itself. If designers can play a part in driving that change, so much the better.

Andrew Kelly, Graphic designer, CDS, Leeds LS2 7LY