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Personhood, Dementia and the Integrity of a Life*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Christine Harrison
Christine Harrison
Affiliation:
McMaster University
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Abstract

Dementing illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease, cause great changes in individuals – sometimes even leading us to say that they are “different persons”. Professional caregivers to these individuals may better understand them and their suffering (and thus provide more compassionate care), if they look at the illness in the context of the individual's life. Although their personhood has been threatened by dementia, appreciating the gestalt, or integrity of their lives may help preserve it. The clinical focus, which currently looks only at problems, should also assess the individual's remaining strengths, positive functions and characteristics. A case scenario helps to illustrate these suggestions. Some recommendations to researchers, clinicians and bioethicists for further study in this area are included.

Résumé

Les maladies mentales, comme la maladie d'Alzheimer, causent des changements substantiels chez les personnes qui en sont atteintes, ce qui nous porte parfois à dire qu'elles sont devenues des « personnes différentes ». Les professionnels qui prodiguent des soins à ces personnes peuvent mieux les comprendre, de même que leur souffrance (et ainsi faire preuve de plus de compassion à leur endroit) lorsqu'ils envisagent la maladie dans le contexte de la vie quotidienne. Bien que l'identité de ces personnes soit menacée par la maladie, l'étude de la gestalt, ou l'intégrité de leur vie, peut les aider à préserver leur santé mentale. L'intervention clinique, qui à l'heure actuelle traite uniquement les problèmes, devrait également évaluer les forces, les fonctions et les caractéristiques positives des personnes atteintes. Une étude de cas vient illustrer ces suggestions. Quelques recommandations destinées aux chercheurs, aux cliniciens et aux spécialistes de la bioéthique désirant effectuer des études plus approfondies dans ce domaine sont également incluses.

Keywords

DementiaAlzheimer's DiseaseEthicsPersonal IdentityPersonhood.Démencemaladie d'Alzheimeréthiqueidentité personnelleidentité.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 12 , Issue 4: The Humanities in Gerontology Numéro spécial: Les sciences humaines en gérontologie , Winter/hiver 1993 , pp. 428 - 440
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1993

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