1. Am I losing my self? 2. Re-interpreted and re-packaged at diagnosis. 3. How can I write a book? 4. Challenging loss of self in dementia. 5. 'I who know that I exist inquire into what I am'. 6. Embodied self. 7. Relational self. 8. Narrative self. 9. Upheld by others in the fullness of our identity. 10. Who am I now if I no longer have dementia? 11. Conclusion. References.
What does a dementia diagnosis mean for an individual's sense of self? Christine Bryden shares her insider view on living with dementia and explains how a continuing sense of self is possible after diagnosis and as the condition develops.
Encouraging a deeper understanding of how individuals live meaningfully with dementia, the book challenges the dominant story of people with dementia 'fading away' to eventually become an 'empty shell'. It explores what it means to be an embodied self with feelings and emotions, how individuals can relate to others despite cognitive changes and challenges to communications, and what this means for the inclusion of people with dementia in society.