One of the basic expectations the public have of doctors is honesty. But what would you think if I told you that research has shown that 70 percent of doctors admitted to lying to their patients? It is inexcusable, surely? Extremely unprofessional and uncaring; a clear break of the doctor-patient relationship. Some of the lies told included reassuring patients that their wives or husbands were still alive, when in fact they were dead. This seems unimaginable but, if I am honest, I have told exactly the same lie to several patients whose spouses had died. Mrs. Walton was in her eighties and desperate to see her husband. She’d been in hospital after a fall and was in pain. She called out for him frequently and couldn’t understand why he wasn’t there to comfort her. She was becoming more and more distressed and would try to get up to find him, despite being at risk of falling again.
“He’s on his way, don’t worry,” the nurses would say and this would calm her down. I confess I said the same thing to her. She’d smile and roll her eyes and say how he was always late for things and tell the same story about him being late for their wedding nearly 60 years ago. But he wasn’t on his way. It was a lie. He’d died two years ago. The truth, if I can use that word, is that it is a kindness to lie sometimes.
Part of the natural history of many of the dementias, in particular Alzheimer’s disease which is what Mrs. Walton had, is that the sufferer loses their short-term memory and the memory of recent events, but retains memories from the distant past. Sufferers are trapped forever in a bewildering past that many realise bares little connection to the present, but are at a loss to explain. It is very distressing and tormenting and many of the behavioural difficulties that I have encountered in those with dementia relate to them feeling upset, scared and confused that they are in a strange place, surrounded by strange people, even when they are in their own homes surrounded by their family, because they have returned back to decades ago.
They look at their adult children confused and wonder who they could be because they think their children are still toddlers. How does one deal with this? I have had countless families break down in tears in outpatient clinics or on wards, not knowing what to say or how to react as their loved one moves further and further away from them back into their distant past and they are left behind in the present. And how, as the doctor or nurse caring for these patients, does one manage the anger and outbursts of distress that comes with having no knowledge of your life for the past 10 or 20 years? The lies that doctors, nurses, carers and families tell these patients are not big, elaborate lies — they are brief reassurances intended to calm and allow the subject to be swiftly changed.
Colluding (串通) with them about this false reality they find themselves flung into is not heartless or unprofessional — it is, when done in the right way, kind and tender-hearted. That’s not to say that lying to patients with dementia unnecessarily is right or defensible or that there are not times when of course they have the right to know the truth. But what compassionate person would put another human being through the unimaginable pain of learning, for the first time again and again, repeatedly throughout the day, that their beloved one has died. It would be an unthinkable cruelness.
Sometimes, surely, honesty is simply not the best policy.
1. Write a title for this article.2. Why do people with dementia feel upset, scared, and confused even when they are in their own homes surrounded by their family?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
The public expect doctors to be honest with their patients and the author also believes that it is heartless and unprofessional to lie to patients.
4. The author says sometimes, surely, honesty is simply not the best policy. Do you agree or disagree? Why? (In about 40 words)
Amelia worked as a nurse for 5 years and loved it. She loved helping others and found the job demanding, but always rewarding.
The beginning of March was far from optimistic because by the middle of March there were just over fifty patients in the hospital with the same illness. Most were on ventilators(呼吸机),which helped them to breathe. Then on the 23rd of that month there was a national lockdown, which meant most places were closed apart from supermarkets and essential shops. People could only leave their homes for a short while to do shopping or to pick up medication. All the streets were empty.
Amelia arrived at work an hour before her shift started. The journey there was quicker than normal, because she was the only one on the bus. And obeying the new rules, she wore her mask the entire trip.
Another shift over with, she was exhausted. The bus turned up on time. She got on and noticed a different person at the wheel. “Where’s the usual driver? ” she asked politely.
The younger man looked sad, and replied grimly(严肃地), “The virus got him，Miss. He was a friend of mine. ” Amelia was shocked by the news. “I’m so sorry to hear this. He was a lovely man. ” “Yes, he was, ”the driver said.
She showed her ticket and headed to a seat. At the back of the bus was the woman she recognized from somewhere. On the journey home every street was quiet.
Amelia put on her earphones and closed her eyes. The terrible events of that day were now becoming a distant memory.
A week later on a Thursday Amelia left the hospital a bit later than normal, as it had been a very busy day. She’d worked the last four days and just wanted to go home. She realized the chance of catching her normal bus would not happen. The next one should arrive shortly. Amelia glanced at her watch and the bus was twelve minutes late.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Suddenly from the doorways of most houses on the street appeared families as they clapped.
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And at that moment Amelia felt proud of everyone she worked with.
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