Beyond Memory: Holding Personhood in Dementia Care

This poetic inquiry explores personhood, affective resonance, and relational ethics in dementia care within palliative social work practice. By examining poetic reflections on cognitive decline, the study highlights how non-corrective validation, gentle presence, and emotional attunement preserve human dignity when memory fades. The analysis critically reframes dementia care beyond cognitive restoration, urging social workers and clinicians to honor embodied histories and prioritize relational continuity. Ultimately, it advocates for compassionate, person-centered frameworks that uphold inherent worth throughout advanced illness and end-of-life care.