On May 13, 2017, in the latest of his regular column on Forbes.com, 2007 Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging recipient, Jason Karlawish, MD discusses the repercussions of viewing people with Alzheimer’s disease as what he describes as “zombies” or the “living dead.”
In Alzheimer's Disease Patients Aren't Zombies -- They're People, And We Need To Treat Them Like People, Dr. Karlawish advocates for the humane treatment and perception of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. He cautions that viewing these patients as less than living people causes them to feel the stigmas and negative emotions surrounding their existence. He advises to treat these patients as people and to use discernment to communicate with them.
Dr. Karlawish’s column can be viewed here.
Jason Karlawish, MD is a Professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and the Co-Director of the Penn Memory Center.
For more information on reframing the communication on the issues facing older people, we encourage you to explore the Frameworks Institute’s Gaining Momentum Toolkit here.
