This project examined personhood in dementia within formal care provision and relationships in Ireland. The concept of personhood within the context of formal care was examined through three different lenses: formal care policy, formal care settings and formal care relationships. Each lens provides different insights and perspectives into personhood in dementia and at both the macro and micro level of formal care provision. The central research question was: How is personhood in dementia conceptualised, expressed, facilitated and actualised in formal care in Ireland? There were three key research objectives: To examine how personhood in dementia is currently conceptualised in dementia policy in Ireland; To explore, through qualitative evidence synthesis, how personhood is expressed, realised and practised by people with dementia in formal care settings; and To identify the core elements, defining natures and fundamental meanings of personhood in dementia as experienced and practised by people with dementia, their family carers and formal carers in Ireland in different settings.

Publications:

Personhood and dementia care: a qualitative evidence synthesis of the perspectives of people with dementia 
Hennelly, N., Cooney, A., Houghton, C., & O’Shea, E. (2019). Personhood and dementia care: a qualitative evidence synthesis of the perspectives of people with dementia. The Gerontologist. 

Personhood, dementia policy and the Irish National Dementia Strategy 
Hennelly, N., & O’Shea, E. (2019). Personhood, dementia policy and the Irish National Dementia Strategy. Dementia, 18(5), 1810-1825.

The experiences and perceptions of personhood for people living with dementia: A qualitative evidence synthesis protocol 
Hennelly, N., Cooney, A., Houghton, C., & O’Shea, E. (2018). The experiences and perceptions of personhood for people living with dementia: A qualitative evidence synthesis protocol. HRB Open Research, 1:18.