publications & presentations
2019
Dementia as Social Experience, Valuing Life and Care.
Macdonald, G., Mears, J. (2019). Oxon: Routledge. Details:
This collection, based on the February 2017 workshop in Sydney, examines what it means to reframe dementia, both in terms of broader social attitudes and in care practice.
Contributions from people with many years of experience, but different concerns and disciplinary perspectives, make for a rich discussion into the challenges of reframing dementia. Along with a comprehensive introduction on the need for and implications of reframing dementia as social experience, the book has three sections: challenging social constructions of ageing and dementia; autonomy and dignity; and persons in relationship: the dynamics of care.
The collection critiques the stigmas, the language and fears often associated with a diagnosis of dementia, with the intent of improving quality of care; and focuses on the social changes required to live a good life with dementia, discussing issues such as advanced care planning, decision-making and person-centred care. It is aimed at those practising, studying or researching dementia, wellbeing and health.
Experiences of dementia: stories from those who care.
Guinane, K., J. Mears and G. Macdonald. 2019. Australian Journal of Dementia Care 8(2):9-11.
Reframing dementia: the social imperative.
Macdonald, G., Naderbagi, A., Mears, J. (2019). In Gaynor Macdonald and Jane Mears (Eds.), Dementia as Social Experience, Valuing Life and Care, (pp. 1-19). Oxon: Routledge. DOWNLOAD
Why 'person-centred' care is not enough: a relational approach to dementia.
Macdonald, G. (2019). In Gaynor Macdonald and Jane Mears (Eds.), Dementia as Social Experience, Valuing Life and Care, (pp. 195-214). Oxon: Routledge. DOWNLOAD
Older Women, Caring and Dementia: ‘Nobody Cares About Me’.
Mears, J. (2019) In Gaynor Macdonald and Jane Mears (Eds.), Dementia as Social Experience, Valuing Life and Care, (pp. 195-214). Oxon: Routledge.
2018
Reframing dementia: The challenge to change.
Macdonald, G., J. Mears, A. Naderbagi. (2018). Australian Journal of Dementia Care 7(4):22-23.
Death in life or life in death? Dementia's ontological challenge (2018)
Macdonald, G. (2018). In: Goodman-Hawkins B, Dawson A (eds), Life's End: Ethnographic Perspectives. Death Studies 42(5) 290-297. Details: https://bit.ly/2KFCPes DOWNLOAD
2017
Why dementia care is different: the relationship impacts of dementia on family carers.
James, Helen (2017). 7th International Carers Conference, Adelaide Convention Centre: 7th International Carers Conference. DOWNLOAD
Challenges for informal carers in the context of dementia.
Mears, Jane(2017). 7th International Carers Conference, Adelaide Convention Centre: 7th International Carers Conference. DOWNLOAD
'There's lots of support'! So why did I feel I was on my own?
Macdonald, G. (2017). 7th International Carers Conference, Adelaide Convention Centre: 7th International Carers Conference. DOWNLOAD
2016
How to live with dementia as a common experience of ageing.
Macdonald, G. (2016). SSPS Review, 3. DOWNLOAD
Dementia as a mirror, critique and challenge to Cartesian ontology.
Macdonald, G. (2016). Australian Anthropological Society, Sydney. DOWNLOAD
Personhood and dementia: challenging models of personhood and wellness.
Macdonald, G. (2016). ASA2016: Footprints and futures: the time of anthropology, Durham, UK.
The 'concerns and challenges' of the family carer: Can we get anywhere with this as our starting point? ePoster.
Macdonald, G., Mears, J. (2016). Grand Designs: Hammond International Dementia Conference, Sydney. DOWNLOAD
Who is abusing whom? Elder abuse in the context of structural violence.
Macdonald, G., Mears, J. (2016). International Federation on Ageing Conference, Brisbane. DOWNLOAD
Reimagining 'old age' to combat ageism: rethink the value of 'life' through the lens of dementia.
Mears, J., Macdonald, G. (2016). AAG Conference, Canberra.