View on Equality, Discrimination, and Human Rights
Adopted from the Alzheimer's Society UK & World Health Organization.
Endorsing a rights-based approach to the treatment of people with dementia.
- People with dementia and carers should be treated with dignity and receive care and support that is based on individual need, rather than assumptions about the condition. In the community, the contribution of people with dementia should be valued.
- Too often, people with dementia experience discrimination and treatment that contravenes their human rights. Poor care and support can breach the rights of people with dementia and carers to not be treated in an inhuman or degrading way, the right to respect for private and family life and the right to liberty.
People with dementia can face discrimination and treatment that contravenes their human rights for three key reasons:
- Ageism
- The stigma and discrimination associated with the condition
- Lack of capacity to challenge and report incidents that occur
Age discrimination that has a positive consequence may continue lawfully if it is “objectively justifiable”. This includes, for example, interventions such as free flu vaccinations for people over 65. Alzheimer’s Society supports this provision. In the case of dementia this will, for example, allow health and social care professionals to modify decision-making and feedback processes to allow people with dementia, who can struggle to communicate, to participate.
Diverse Elders Coalition https://www.diverseelders.org/...
The Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC) advocates for policies and programs that improve aging in our communities as racially and ethnically diverse people; American Indians and Alaska Natives; and lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people.