Baroness Warnock comments on Dementia

In a recent article out of the UK, Baroness Warnock known as the "moral philosopher" stated that she hopes people will soon be "licensed to put others down" who have become a burden on the health care system.   She went on to say that anyone with dementia had the responsibility to commit suicide because of the burden they are on their families and society.

As groups across the United States work together for the improvement in long-term care and for the care of our elderly, we must insist that remarks and "philosophies" such as those are never instituted.

The culture of care across the country, especially in Alzheimer's centers, has moved toward a "person centered" approach.  This approach is defined as caring for the person as an individual not a disease.  The experts in the field of Alzheimer's care believe that every person has the right to experience all of the core needs and that these fundamental rights do not end until life ends.  The person's value as an individual does not diminish despite any cognitive impairments.

We at Alzheimer's Care Group have worked hard to be a catalyst for culture change in long-term care. We have witnessed laughter, tears, joy, and sadness...Life that is occurring in nursing homes, adult daycare, and home settings all across the country.  Those experiences are not valued any less because they happened with someone who had impaired cognition.