The Time Machine revisited: An updated account of time-shifting in Alzheimer’s Disease

People with dementia often experience confusion and disordered realities, a phenomenon known as time-shifting. This involves reliving past events as if they are currently happening, such as expecting to see a deceased partner or wanting to collect grown-up children from school. Such scenarios can be a significant source of distress and conflict for both people with dementia and their carers. This paper aims to investigate and update our understanding of time-shifting by integrating findings from autobiographical memory research. It offers a revised explanation to help clinicians to better support paid and family carers by enhancing their knowledge, attitude and skills in effectively dealing with time-shifting.