I have been working with a lady who has MND, she has been diagnosed for a while now and has accepted her condition, she now uses an AAC devise to communicate and her swallow is becoming weak. However her husband is still convinced that she can get better and tells his wife "we'll get through this". Have you any idea how I can begin to deal with this very difficult situation??

Hi Sarah,

Yes, I have had this difficulty before. Often relatives or a spouse are unable to overcome their sense of grief at seeing a loved one become terminally ill and they cling onto the hope that they will get better or be cured. For some it a way of dealing with the situation. As a professional it is difficult to approach the area. I suppose it to some extent it depends on the type of relationship you have with the husband and how approachable he is. The lady in question will most likely have regular contact with her doctor and maybe he/she should be the one to talk to the husband.

I think it only really becomes an issue for you as a Speech and Language Therapist/Pathologist if his behaviour is somehow effecting your work and the program your are carrying out with the woman.

Obviously I do not know the people involved so it is difficult for me to comment, but I would speak to their doctor first and see what he thinks.

It may be appropriate for the husband to attend some counselling sessions and also have contact with local support groups.

I hope this has helped, I know how difficult this sort of thing can be. Feel free to ask more questions and feel free to answer any if you think you can add something interesting or relevant. We want more input on the forum from other professionals.

Regards Johan