Gülçin Con Wright, TED University, Ankara
Hazal Swearinger, Çankırı Karatekin University
As life expectancy rises globally, there is an increase in the prevalence of dementia. The care of individuals with dementia, encompassing both formal and informal care – including institutional, home- and community-based care, as well as end-of-life and hospice care – poses unique ethical and practical challenges. The World Health Organization (2017) envisions a future where “people with dementia and their carers live well and receive the care and support they need to fulfil their potential with dignity, respect autonomy and equality” (p. 6). However, realizing this vision requires a shift towards a human rights-based approach in dementia care, addressing issues of dignity, autonomy, and equitable access to care.
In this context, this panel aims to explore the integration of human rights principles into dementia care, emphasizing the roles of various stakeholders, the development and implementation of policies, and the provision of care services. By bringing together diverse perspectives, we aim to discuss innovative approaches that can transform dementia care into a user-centred, capability-enhancing system.
The panel welcomes papers that engage with the ethical, practical, and policy- related challenges of integrating human rights into dementia care. We encourage both theoretical and empirical contributions that examine questions such as:
- How can dementia care be user-centred and capability-enhancing?
- What types of dementia care provisions might benefit both carers’ and care receivers’ wellbeing?
- How should care policies be designed to address the needs of individuals with
- dementia, particularly in end of life?
- How can human rights principles be effectively integrated into existing care provisions to address the diverse needs of individuals with dementia and their carers?
- We especially encourage submissions from scholars in the Global South or those that draw on cross-cultural comparisons.