| Abstract | Dementia is an umbrella term that covers a number of diagnoses that affect the cognitive and behavioral functioning of an individual. This diagnosis carries with it a surrounding stigma that impacts a person with dementia's life negatively leading to social isolation, low self-esteem, a delay in care-seeking, and poorer health outcomes. This research seeks to address the perceptions and experiences of this stigma from the point of view of people living with dementia. There has been little research done about the stigma surrounding dementia and none from the perspective of those diagnosed with dementia. If more was known about this stigma and the role it plays in this population's lives, we could begin to bring awareness to the matter to bring about change. This qualitative descriptive study gathered data using transcribed first-person interviews and identified themes using qualitative analysis. The findings revealed that there is a stigma from the general public toward people with dementia that leads to dehumanization, self-stigma, increased reliance on the caregiver, and stigma within the healthcare system. The results also showed a call for more education about dementia in the healthcare setting from people with dementia. The presence and impact of the stigma surrounding dementia that was seen in the data shows a need for more education and awareness both for the public and especially for the healthcare setting in order to mitigate the negative impact stigma has on people with dementia. |
