title: Hope in caring for the deeply forgetful: enduring selfhood and being open to surprises.
abstract: Hope in the context of individuals with dementia and their carers is defined in this paper in terms of an openness to surprises with regard to indicators of continuing self-identity in the individual with dementia, active agency with regard to carers and affected individuals to the extent possible, and the affirmation of a theory of personhood and related moral status that breaks through the limits and prejudices of hypercognitive values.
authors.affiliation: Professor at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine and Director, Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics.
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D065026:Hope; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D028723:Personhood