| Résumé : | This report addresses the ethical issues surrounding the loss of freedom which many people experience as a result of having dementia. Such restrictions include those relating to residence or place of stay (i.e. involuntary detention or attendance in nursing homes, hospitals and day care centres), to the use of various forms of restraint (i.e. physical, chemical, psychological and environmental), to the right to live one's life according to one's values, preferences and lifestyle and finally, to the right to play an active role in society (e.g. marrying, voting, making a will and driving).
Most of these issues have already been explored by Alzheimer Europe insofar as they relate to legislation and clearly the right to live a life that is free from unjust, inappropriate or unnecessary restrictions is often both a legal and ethical issue. However, in this report, we focus on the ethical implications of various restrictions of freedom, drawing biomedical principles (e.g. respect for autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice) as well as more care-related factors such as the importance of relationships, solidarity, wellbeing and dignity. |
