ABSTRACT
We are all familiar with the word dementia. It seems to be forever in the news. As with all such readily adopted terms, we assume we understand what they mean. They are, after all, part of our everyday language. When asked, people generally believe that someone with dementia has serious problems with their memory. They may even talk about people entering a second childhood. Aside from misrepresenting the people diagnosed with dementia, such accounts greatly underestimate the impact of the condition. This chapter will look at how our understanding of dementia has developed over the centuries before turning to the current context. A critical point emphasized here and throughout this book is that we all need to better understand and appreciate what the world looks like for someone with dementia. Only by achieving this will we develop a genuine dementia-friendly society.
