A Spiritual Cultural Evolution Dementia in the 21st Century

Imagine a world in which caring for the deeply forgetful is deemed a privilege and a trust.By Stephen PostAlzheimer's Reading RoomI do believe that we will see a spiritual-cultural shift away from the ideology of “hyper-cognitive values” that has regrettably blinded us to the enduring selves underlying the deeply forgetful.How can we encounter the deeply forgetful outside of hyper-cognitive ideologies?Dementia Patients are People TooHow can we bear witness to the reality that persons with this cognitive disability possess inherent qualities, and create a culture where all are welcomed and celebrated regardless of cognitive limits and vulnerability?Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading - This is a Free Service - Join NowIt is ethically important that the person with dementia not be judged by “hyper-cognitive” values.The self is not cognition alone, but is rather a complex entity with emotional and relational aspects that should be deemed morally significant and worthy of affirmation.Rationality is too severe a ground for moral standing, allowing if not requiring the relational and emotional deaths of many individuals who may, in fact, continue to enjoy simple pleasures despite their lack of rationality.The fitting moral response to people with dementia, according to classical western ethical thought and related conceptions of common human decency, is to enlarge our sense of human worth to counter an exclusionary emphasis on rationality, efficient use of time and energy,...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - Category: Neurology Tags: alz alzheimers bond cruelty deeply forgetful dehumanizing others demenitia glass half full love privilege self identity Spiritual Cultural Evolution Stephen Post trust Source Type: blogs