Truth, Lies, and Compassion: Ethical Communication in Dementia Care
This presentation explores the ethical and practical challenges of truth-telling in dementia caregiving. It examines when honesty supports well-being—and when compassionate redirection or “therapeutic fibbing” may be more appropriate. Through real-world scenarios, we’ll consider how caregivers can navigate these complex moments with empathy and respect.
Date April 9, 2026
Hosted By WellMed Charitable Foundation
Dr. Elliot Montgomery Sklar
Dr. Elliot Montgomery Sklar is a public health professional with two decades of experience in supporting the health of the public through academic work, research, and service. He has led healthy aging programs for seniors and for caregivers in Canada, Florida and virtually, and his research is focused on the complexity of issues related to aging and caregiving. Dr. Sklar is a professor of health care sciences in the college of medicine at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He publishes and presents his work internationally.
Lucy Barylak
Lucy Barylak received her master’s degree in social work from McGill University and has dedicated her career to supporting caregivers. Lucy was the founder and long-standing manager of the caregiver support centre, a multiservice respite program for family caregivers. In 2003 and 2012, she received the Queen’s Jubilee Award, presented by the Canadian Homecare Association awarded on the basis on her dedication in developing a national coalition to support the issues and challenges facing informal caregivers. She has published numerous articles and has presented at major conferences on her research findings. Lucy is also a liaison supervisor at the School of Social Work at McGill University.