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Scottish Dementia Strategy endorses the Council’s approach to autonomy
Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy, published on 1 June 2010, draws on the Council’s ethical framework for dementia and its recommendations on promoting the autonomy of people with dementia.
One of the key components of the Council's ethical framework is the promotion of autonomy in people with dementia. Autonomy is often thought of as the freedom to make your own choices, but people rarely make decisions in isolation.
The Council suggests that autonomy can be promoted in people with dementia by encouraging their important relationships and by supporting them in maintaining their sense of self and expressing their values.
And this principle was echoed by the Scottish Government. Paragraph 40 of the new strategy states “The Nuffield Council on Bioethics proposes the principle of autonomy which extends the concept of dignity and includes the idea of supported decision-making promoted in part by encouraging relationships that are important to the person in maintaining their sense of self. Services that are able to address the support needs of family and carers are more likely to be able to ensure that such relationships can be maintained over time and by doing so promote the wellbeing of people with dementia“.
Links
One of the key components of the Council's ethical framework is the promotion of autonomy in people with dementia. Autonomy is often thought of as the freedom to make your own choices, but people rarely make decisions in isolation.
The Council suggests that autonomy can be promoted in people with dementia by encouraging their important relationships and by supporting them in maintaining their sense of self and expressing their values.
And this principle was echoed by the Scottish Government. Paragraph 40 of the new strategy states “The Nuffield Council on Bioethics proposes the principle of autonomy which extends the concept of dignity and includes the idea of supported decision-making promoted in part by encouraging relationships that are important to the person in maintaining their sense of self. Services that are able to address the support needs of family and carers are more likely to be able to ensure that such relationships can be maintained over time and by doing so promote the wellbeing of people with dementia“.
Links
- Find out more about the Council’s work on the ethical issues of dementia
- Download Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy
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