Wisdom, resilience and successful aging: Changing public discourses on living with dementia

Abstract

The concepts of wisdom, resilience and successful aging are not often spoken in the same sentence as the word dementia. In fact, many people might even think this sequencing is an oxymoron. Yet, as researchers, health/social care professionals and voluntary service personnel work more closely with people with dementia as co-researchers/inquirers and mentors (Harris, 2007; Keady,Williams, Hughes-Roberts, Quinn, & Quinn, 2007) the connection of these three words to the lived experience of dementia gains increasing relevance and meaning. One of the underlying goals of this journal is to assist in breaking down the stereotypes and stigma that surrounds a diagnosis of dementia, and its aftermath. Published articles throughout the seven-year existence of the journal attest to that effort, for example: • ‘Essay on a word: A lived experience of Dementia’ (Sterin, 2002); • ‘Personal spirituality of persons with early-stage dementia’ (Katsuno, 2003); • ‘Make it easy on yourself! Advice to researchers from someone with dementia on being interviewed’ (Mckillop & Wilkinson, 2004); • ‘Accuracy and consistency of responses from persons with cognitive impairment’ (Whitlatch, Feinberg, & Tucke, 2005); • ‘The role of advocacy in our adventure with Alzheimer’s’ (Knauss & Moyer, 2006); and • ‘Participatory research: A method of process consent for persons with dementia’ (Dewing, 2007). Taken together, articles like these should cause us to pause and reconceptualize our understanding of the strengths and capabilities of people with dementia.