Colleague's dementia comment

[Anonymous2003]

At work today I was telling a colleague about my granny's worsening dementia, and how it is breaking our hearts to see her lose her independence as time goes on.
A few minutes after this conversation, she asked me a question about a policy which she couldn't remember. I answered the question and she said something along the lines of 'I totally forgot. I'm like your granny now'.
AIBU to be a bit taken aback by this comment? I didn't acknowledge it but I thought it was a bit tone deaf and I would never say that to somebody...

It was insensitive but I think for those that haven’t witnessed how all consuming and damaging dementia is on a loved one, they just think of it as something that makes someone a tad forgetful. It’s just basic ignorance.

It was but I find a lot of people can be very flippant and don’t engage their brain before opening their mouth.

I totally sympathise. It’s a lot more complicated than just being a bit forgetful.

It’s very insensitive and tone deaf. I’d have replied something along the lines of “if only Dementia was as simple as just being forgetful”.
Sending you strength OP. I’m on round 2 of seeing a loved one battle Dementia and it’s truly heartbreaking.

I think that’s forgiveable: a self-deprecating quip from someone with no direct experience of the condition. It didn’t land well because you do have direct experience and therefore know it’s much more than memory loss (which is a common misconception).