Human Rights, Dementia, and Identity
Abstract
Abstract. Human rights are integral to the work of applied psychologists, particularly when supporting people who may be experiencing some form of vulnerability. As dementia progresses, potential vulnerability increases and the need to protect and promote the fundamental human rights of people living with dementia becomes even more important. However, we also need to translate complicated human rights law into practical strategies which facilitate upholding people’s rights on a day-to-day basis. The FREDA principles (of Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity, and Autonomy) provide a framework to make this translation. Recent research has highlighted the applicability of the FREDA principles to dementia but also added an important new element – identity – to this rubric. This paper explores the links between identity and human rights and the ways in which preserving identity can enhance human rights-based approaches. The similarity between human rights-based approaches to care and the more traditionally cited model of person-centered care are noted, and it is suggested that the legal underpinning of human rights-based approaches affords them weight that is sometimes lacking in other care frameworks. It concludes that no one single framework is sufficient to ensure optimum care but that recognizing a person’s right to maintain and express their identity, as well as the other FREDA principles, allows us to understand more fully the individual and her or his needs and in turn allows us to better apply the law and guide professionals in delivering care that is of the highest possible standards.
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