Concluding remarks
2013: The ethical issues linked to the perceptions and portrayal of dementia and people with dementia
We have presented a vast array of perceptions and portrayals of dementia in this report and have reflected on their possible impact on people with dementia in many different ways (e.g. in terms of how they might affect people psychologically and emotionally, how they might affect relationships, roles, rights and the responsibilities of everyone in society). Looking back over the different sections, it becomes clear that often the consequences of a certain way of perceiving or portraying dementia may be beneficial in some ways, and potentially harmful in other ways, and that this can depend on the time, the situation or context, the people involved, what is at stake, personal factors and issues linked to the social, political, economic and cultural climate. We learn from each other and from experience with the result that what seems appropriate and “normal” today might seem outrageous in years to come. For these reasons, we will not conclude with a set of instructions on how to perceive and portray dementia and people with dementia. Apart from the fact that this would be presumptuous on our part, we do not have all the answers. Moreover, whilst we can learn a great deal from reflection and experience, it is important to implement the results of these in the constantly changing real world and in relation to real people with dementia. For this to be possible, we need to ensure that people with dementia remain an integral part of our social worlds/society and that they and their views are valued. To conclude, we now present a list of guidelines for reflection linked to the perception and also the portrayal of dementia.
Last Updated: Monday 24 February 2014