Ethical Foundations of Palliative Care for Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer disease afflicts more than twelve million people worldwide, and its incidence is increasing at a staggering rate. People with the disorder are living longer than have those in previous generations, and they require interventions for quality—of—life issues associated with palliative care. However, the symptoms of Alzheimer disease often fail to place such persons into settings where palliative care resources are available to them. Indeed, clinicians and other caregivers may be unsure about what constitutes effective palliation in these cases. At the same time, the ethical issues involved in providing end—of—life care to persons with Alzheimer disease remain on the margins of mainstream bioethics.In Ethical Foundations of Palliative Care for Alzheimer Disease, leading ethicists and clinicians from the United States and Europe explore ethical and scientific concerns about the diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer disease, challenges arising from applying palliative procedures to its symptoms, key philosophical and theological concepts central to our understanding of the disease and to end—of—life decisions, and the changing patterns of relevant medical, social, and economic policies. Cross—cultural, multidisciplinary, and state—of—the—art, this volume is a unique and important resource for bioethicists, clinicians, and policy makers everywhere.