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A New Look at Episodes of Mistaken Identity

Opportunities for Preserving Personhood

University of North Carolina at Pembroke, sdran{at}nc.rr.com

Facility caregivers of persons with dementia in residential facilities often find themselves mistaken by residents for people from the residents' past. Such episodes of mistaken identity are usually considered a sign of impairment and simply ignored. This study presents vignettes in which facility caregivers played roles from the resident's past, briefly and without rehearsal or deliberation. During these episodes, residents were able to experience a continuity of identity, a sense of belonging, and a recognition for past accomplishment. This article argues that these brief episodes of mistaken identity were spontaneous opportunities to preserve the personhood of persons with dementia.

Key Words: dementia • personhood • mistaken identity

Journal of Applied Gerontology, Vol. 27, No. 5, 641-647 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0733464808323450


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