What's your opinion on calling dementia sufferers "Good girls" etc?

[MissCommando]

I used to work in a home with 30 dementia sufferers. We were only allowed to call them by their name. If the boss heard staff calling the residents love, or good girl etc, he would tell them off. I think he was right to do so.

I now work in a council home with dementia sufferers. The staff are forever calling the residents good girls and good boys - "Sit down Henry, now there's a good boy". It makes me cringe and I am not going down the route of calling an 80 odd year old a good boy or girl. Also, I am only 23 so I think it would be very patronising for me to call them a girl or a boy.

I don't think it's nice to talk to residents as though they are little children. They are grown adults and may understand more than we think.

What's your opinion?

[ummmm]

I don't really agree with the 'good boy, good girl' but there is nothing wrong with calling dementia sufferers 'darling' 'sweetheart' etc....as long as they don't mind.