Everyday Citizenship and People with Dementia

Ann-Charlotte Nedlund, senior lecturer of Politics and Policy Analysis in Aging and Later Life, Linköping University; Ruth Bartlett, Associate Professor, Complex Care in Older People, University of Southampton; and Charlotte L. Clarke, Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Science and Health, Durham University.

• Editor biographies. Preface. 1. Everyday Citizenship: A way to broaden our view of life with dementia (Ann-Charlotte Nedlund, Ruth Bartlett and Charlotte L. Clarke): 2. Recognition Reconsidered: It is about time (Karen Barrie); 3. A Social Citizenship Lens to Describe One Person’s Experience of Living with Dementia in Scotland (James McKillop and Fiona Kelly); 4. Sharing and Acknowledging Snapshots of Everyday Citizenship: Experiences from a Swedish dementia-friendly initiative in Norrköping municipality (Ann-Charlotte Nedlund, Elzana Odzakovic, Ingrid Hellström and Agneta Kullberg); 5. Art as the Great Equaliser: Everyday citizenship and participation in an art programme for people with dementia (Elaine C. Wiersma, Jim Berry, Jane Glover and Colleen Vogt); 6. The Price of Citizenship: The costs and benefits of activism as a route to everyday citizenship (Heather Wilkinson, Agnes Houston, James McKillop and Liz Taylor); 7. The Meaning of ‘Collaboration’: A candid conversation between a researcher and a dementia advocate (Deborah O’Connor and Jim Mann); 8. Recognising Everyday Citizenship and Dementia: What is known and what more needs to be done (Ann-Charlotte Nedlund, Ruth Bartlett and Charlotte L. Clarke). References. Index.

'This small book claims that individuals with dementia have a right to experience 'everyday citizenship'. By drawing on evidence from informal collaboration with individuals who have dementia, the book's arguments achieve a powerful authenticity. Reading the book helped me to realise that I had unwittingly fallen into the trap of viewing dementia as a disease that causes a swift and sudden end to individual capabilities. The book helped me to think again, and to acknowledge that dementia is a progressive disease. Individuals who receive a dementia diagnosis may retain considerable mental capability for a number of years after their diagnoses; therefore social workers need to respect their personhood and right to everyday citizenship. The book provides a good, easily graspable tool for acquiring increased understanding of dementia and developing practice that promotes inclusion as part of citizenship.'European Journal of Social Work