Preserving Personhood: (Re)Membering the Spouse with Dementia^*

Abstract

Preserving the personhood of one's partner emerged as a guiding directive for spouses caring for a partner with dementia. On the basis of data from open‐ended interviews with 38 husband and wife caregivers, four strategies that facilitate this directive were identified: maintaining continuity, sustaining existing competencies, protecting the partner from incompetence, and strategizing public encounters. From a social constructionist perspective, the focus on preserving the personhood of the partner with dementia promotes more holistic, person‐centered care. However, when examined independently, each of the strategies used to achieve this goal can present both challenges and opportunities for the spouse caregiver.