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Dignity-Enhancing Care for Persons with Dementia and Its Application to Advance Euthanasia Directives

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Justice, Luck & Responsibility in Health Care

Part of the book series: Library of Ethics and Applied Philosophy ((LOET,volume 30))

Abstract

The number of elderly people continues to increase worldwide. Over the past decades, the growth of the aged population has been particularly notable for the oldest-old individuals, those who are 85 years and older (Christensen et al. 2009). This group will continue to grow significantly over the next decades (United Nations 2004). Given that the elderly are especially prone to suffer from dementia (Corrada et al. 2010; Prince and Jackson 2009), many countries will be confronted with a rising number of people with dementia. It is estimated that the population suffering from dementia will double every 20 years to 42.3 million by 2020, 81.1 million by 2040, and 113 million by 2050 (Ferri et al. 2005; Prince and Jackson 2009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Catholic University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 7001, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Chris Gastmans

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  1. Chris Gastmans
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Correspondence to Chris Gastmans .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Brouwersstraat 92, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    Yvonne Denier

  2. Kapucijnenvoer 35, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    Chris Gastmans

  3. , Ethics, Social & Political Philosophy, Catholic University of Leuven, Kardinaal Mercierplein 2 - box 3200, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    Antoon Vandevelde

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Gastmans, C. (2013). Dignity-Enhancing Care for Persons with Dementia and Its Application to Advance Euthanasia Directives. In: Denier, Y., Gastmans, C., Vandevelde, A. (eds) Justice, Luck & Responsibility in Health Care. Library of Ethics and Applied Philosophy, vol 30. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5335-8_9

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