Veterans’ attitudes towards the experience of dementia: an Australian study
Funded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Prof Elizabeth Beattie, Director, Dementia Collaborative Research Centre – Carers and Consumers, Queensland University of Technology
Prof Barbara Horner, Director, Centre for Research on Ageing, Curtin University
Assoc Prof Sandy Burgener, Department of Bio-behavioural Health Science, University of Illinois, USA
Dementias are progressive diseases and it is known that people with various dementias (i.e. Alzheimer’s disease) can continue to live productive lives within their households and the community during the early and middle stages of the disease. One impediment to people with dementia and their carers engaging with the community, and often leading to social isolation and reduced quality of life, is perceived stigma surrounding the illness. Considering the compounded stigmatising conditions evident in dementia (mental and physical impairment, ageing, and loss of abilities), the importance of examining the stigma experience in person’s with dementia and its effect on quality of life is underscored. This research is a replication of a study currently underway in the US and is being conducted with veterans living near Brisbane and Perth. Veterans and family caregivers will be interviewed four times over an 18-month period about their perceptions of stigma associated with the dementia diagnosis and quality of life. The aim is to help understand the impact of stigma on quality of life in persons from the veteran community with progressive memory loss and their family caregivers. Ultimately, we are hopeful this study will help us create ways to assist veterans with memory loss and their family caregivers to manage the stigma they experience with the goal of increasing quality of life.
Contact: David Wellman, Project Coordinator. Email: david.wellman@qut.edu.au