Dementia, Care, and Respect

Feminist care theory is useful when thinking about ethical and respectful caring relationships with people with dementia, ethically sound healthcare decisions involving them, and recognizing continuity between these topics. In each, the capacities of people with dementia to care about things and be in caring relationships should be recognized. In each, what their caregivers require to be in good caring relationships with them should be attended to. After defining care, autonomy, and dementia, the author outlines three insights from feminist care theory that guide their approach, which they call Respect for Caring, and then explores its implications.