Rx On the Dignity of Deeply Forgetful People
The Moral Challenges of Alzheimer Disease from Diagnosis to Dying
“At our 2012 convocation we were privileged to honor bioethicist Dr. Stephen Post with the Pioneer Medal for Outstanding Leadership in Health Care for his extraordinary body of work which has shed insightful and compassionate light on care for patients with dementia and their caregivers. He speaks beautifully on this sensitive topic.” —Jim Siegel, Executive Vice President for Marketing & Communications, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network
Society today, writes Stephen Post, is “hypercognitive”: it places inordinate emphasis on people’s powers of rational thinking and memory. Therefore, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, raise many dilemmas. How are we to view—and value—persons deprived of what some consider the most important human capacities?
From the platform, Dr. Stephen Post draws the audience into “life with dementia and with the demented,” while providing solutions for the many problems posed by the progressive loss of cognition. He offers a comprehensive picture of the Alzheimer’s patient, the caregiver, and the caregiving relationship, and then presents a series of well-founded practical recommendations to the complexities of the disease. Stephen is dedicated to the Alzheimer’s community of both patients and caregivers as he gently, straightforwardly, and on occasion so humorously portrays the Alzheimer’s experience through the words of people who are actually living it.
In his characteristically clear manner, he equips the audience with the necessary facts and then expertly suggests how to proceed humanely and with absolute consideration of the person who should be at the center of concern. Stephen believes that maintaining the emotional and relational well being of those with dementia depends on the caregivers who see dignity even in those severely affected by this kind of condition. Backed by extensive and thorough research, he discusses the experience of dementia, addresses specific ethical issues of interest to health care professionals, families, and affected individuals and includes topics such as diagnostic disclosure, the extension of autonomy through advance directives, behavior control, family caregiving, quality of life in relation to treatment limitations, hospice care, and end of life choices. His message provides practical solutions and equips family members and professionals with a positive course of direction.
“Health professionals who deal with dementia, as well as family members who care for relatives who become disabled, will find his book thoughtful, engaging, and provocative.” —New England Journal of Medicine
Additional Rave Reviews
“Stephen Post has the gift of taking dense and complicated material and transforming it through the power of narrative and humor into knowable stuff. His empathy and compassion for caregivers and persons with dementia comes through in his lectures and writing, and he is the master of the power of translating the personal story to illustrate broader principle. In a previous position with the Alzheimer’s Association, I worked closely with Stephen literally as his booking agent to over 150 events at Association chapters all over the USA to provide first rate education about ethical issues in Alzheimer’s disease. Loss of competence creates moral and ethical challenges, first to family, then to healers and professional carers and ultimately our society when one multiplies one person’s journey by millions—and Stephen provided guidance in lively well planned lectures and panels to meet these challenges on all levels.” —Michael Splaine, Public Policy Adviser, Alzheimer’s Disease International, Former VP of Chapter Outreach and Education, Alzheimer’s Association U.S.
“Stephen G. Post is a frequent, generous, and uplifting speaker for the Alzheimer’s Association New York City Chapter helping our audiences of family caregivers, professionals and persons with dementia come to a place of deeper understanding and reflection on the impact of the disease on their lives, and strategies for successful coping. He makes the serious and daunting topic of ethics ultimately relatable and relevant for his audience. One of his most wonderful qualities as a speaker is his ability to be both serious and also entertaining.” —Jed A. Levine, Executive Vice President & Director, Programs and Services, Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter
“Dr. Post is not only an accomplished and thoughtful scholar, but his presentations are artful, engaging, and inspiring. He helps his audience appreciate what is accessible—under the right circumstances—within those who suffer from severe dementia. His teaching is important and instructive for us to have so that we can be more helpful to those we serve.” —James W. Lomax, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine
For speaking inquiries, contact Stephen at 216.926.9244 or by email.
Free PDF article: Hope in Caring for the Deeply Forgetful