Rights in Mind: Thinking Differently about dementia and disability

The article argues for the utility of a relational model of disability, as a way of conceptualising dementia. It explores whether dementia should be considered as a disability and whether people with dementia might consider themselves as disabled people. Examples of, and issues raised by, the political activism of people with dementia are considered as is the way in which language can construct dementia negatively. The ways in which the environment influences the experience of dementia is considered. In conclusion, the paper shows that a relational model of dementia lays the basis for a human rights approach to the condition, based on collaborative partnerships between people with dementia and people from other disability communities.