Rumor Has it: “Dementia” A Discourse-Analytical Analysis of Obituaries of People With Dementia

Abstract

Despite the increasing incidence of the condition, people with dementia face a double stigma: ageism and the stigma of mental illness. The stigmatization of the condition has negative consequences, and can even lead to self-stigmatization. To develop adequate education programs to overcome the harmful stigma, the degree and the characteristics of that stigmatization have to be identified. In this study, the content and the language of obituaries of well-known people with dementia are analyzed using a qualitative bottom-up approach. If mentioned, the dementia receives little attention and the information given does not exceed common knowledge. Euphemistic language such as metaphors is introduced not to circumvent the condition, but to palliate its degressive nature.

Dementia stigma: representation and language use

“…This does not clearly align with the language of their cited sources (Goffman 1963;Thornicroft et al 2007), suggesting a broader theoretical stance that may incorporate other perspectives, namely affective and cognitive stigma processes (Corrigan and Watson 2002;Smith 2007) -however, these are not explicitly mentioned. Focusing instead on labelling, Heynderickx, Creten, and Dieltjens (2022) specify stigma as the attribution of negative labels and terms for members of a particular group, but having no citations limits further discussion of their positioning. Finally, three studies draw on Link and Phelan's (2001; modified labelling theory to situate stigma as the co-occurrence of five elements: labelling, stereotyping, separation of us from them, status loss and discrimination, and the exercise of power.…”

“…Finally, three studies draw on Link and Phelan's (2001; modified labelling theory to situate stigma as the co-occurrence of five elements: labelling, stereotyping, separation of us from them, status loss and discrimination, and the exercise of power. However, Creten, Heynderickx, and Dieltjens (2022) only discuss the first four elements of this model, while Gove et al (2016) add a sixth component: emotional reactions.…”

“…Dementia may be presented as a threat on a societal or individual level, namely by equating dementia diagnosis to a social and / or literal death sentence for individuals, and as a catastrophic disruption to society (Gove et al 2016;van Gorp and Vercruysse 2012;Zeilig 2014). There seems to be some disagreement about whether dementia is taboo (Hansen, Hauge, and Bergland 2016) or not (Heynderickx, Creten, and Dieltjens 2022), which likely reflects differing cultural and interpersonal contexts across studies and researchers' differing analytical criteria.…”

“…More overtly stigmatizing is the use of terms such as dementia, demented and senile to insult and ridicule others, particularly political figures and groups (e.g., demented democrats) or other individuals that the text's author disagrees with (Bacsu, Fraser, et al 2022;Creten, Heynderickx, and Dieltjens 2022;Hudson et al 2022;Kirkman 2006). In such cases, the notion of having dementia is invoked to suggest incompetence.…”

“…Heynderickx, Creten, and Dieltjens (2022) Stigma as labelling, stereotyping, separating us from them, status loss and discrimination, and the exercise of power.3Creten, Heynderickx, and Dieltjens (2022),Gove et al (2016), andHansen et al (2022) …”