Thesis
My thesis project focuses on exploring the concept “wandering” as it relates to persons living with dementia. Dementia is a major public health concern, one that carries a heavy burden of stigma. One of the most worrying situations persons living with dementia can experience is being lost or going missing. Often, this is called “dementia-related wandering”. However, the etiology of the term wandering is unclear, and the definitions are imprecise and stigmatizing. Therefore, my thesis project will describe the evolution of the term wandering pertaining to persons living with dementia and examine the various interpretations of this term and alternative terms. I will conduct a scoping review of scholarly and grey literature.
Why did you decide to do the project?
Working with the Aging and Innovation Research Program as a co-op student and research assistant, I was inspired to further understand the experiences of persons living with dementia and the services and care they receive. During my co-op term, I had an opportunity to learn about technologies for assessment and management of risks in persons living with dementia. This ignited my passion for working with older adults. I learned about the increasing prevalence of dementia and the associated stigma, which is also a risk. Through discussions with the research team, persons living with dementia, care partners, and service providers from Canada and abroad, I began to understand the controversial nature of the term “wandering”; while it is commonly used and carries no stigma in some places, it viewed as a highly derogatory term in others.
Language has a profound impact on our social beliefs and can normalize how we perceive or understand others. Words that emphasize individuals’ abilities instead of deficits can help persons living with dementia maintain feelings of self-worth, retain self-esteem, and engage meaningfully within their community. Words that stigmatize can further isolate individuals who become reluctant to seek help.
How do you think it will help you in the future?
With rising populations of older adults and increasing prevalence of dementia, it is more important than ever for us to understand the impact of our language. Although there are cultural differences around the globe about what are appropriate terminologies, use of inclusive and non-stigmatising language would enhance the quality of care received by older adults and promote research that use intentional terminologies. I hope that my review of the evolution of the term wandering will make an impact on the way health service providers critically examine their language, how it influences their practice and appreciate cross-cultural differences, within and beyond Canada.
Through this research, I will learn how to conduct my own scoping literature review, including search strategies, screening, and selecting data, extracting and analyzing data. I will apply the knowledge I have gained to date through my work as a research assistant in other reviews. Every day I continue to learn something new about the process of conducting scoping reviews to ensure rigour, validity, and accuracy are maintained.
I am extremely thankful to be doing my honours thesis with Professor Liu and her team because I continue to learn more about dementia, person-centered care, and various research techniques. With this knowledge, I hope to continuously promote aging well in place by being informed, aware, cautious, and respectful with who I work with.