Alzheimer’s Disease Bill of Rights

Every person with dementia deserves the following:

• To be informed of one’s diagnosis
• To have appropriate, ongoing medical care
• To be productive in work and play for as long as possible
• To be treated like an adult, not like a child
• To have expressed feelings taken seriously
• To be free from psychotropic medications, if possible
• To live in a safe, structured, and predictable environment
• To enjoy meaningful activities that fill each day
• To be outdoors on a regular basis
• To have physical contact, including: hugging, caressing, and hand-holding
• To be with individuals who know one’s life story, including cultural and religious traditions
• To be cared for by individuals who are well trained in dementia care

We are faced with the responsibility of caring for a person with dementia, we often will wonder if our decisions are ethical and in the best interest of our loved one.  use this list as a gauge to help with the decision making process.  When we second guess ourselves, we sometimes start making decisions based on emotion instead of logic.  We all want whats best for our loved ones. so, I hope this bit of info helps with those decisions.