How Stories About Dementia Shape Lives and Care in Aging Societies
Dementia raises difficult and emotional questions, such as what it means to be a person when memories fade and communication becomes hard.
It also raises questions about how someone can continue to live a meaningful life with a progressive brain condition, and what responsibilities healthcare workers, neighbors, and societies have towards people with dementia.
A special report by The Hastings Center for Bioethics, "Living with Dementia: Learning from Cultural Narratives in Aging Societies," explores how the stories we tell and the words we use shape the experience of living with dementia.
The report urges everyone to think more carefully about how we talk about dementia and how that talk influences care and inclusion.
The report highlights the importance of considering how our narratives and beliefs impact the lives of people with dementia.
Author's summary: Dementia stories shape care and lives.