Call for Abstracts for “Advanced Directives in Dementia Care – Cross-National Examinations”
Abstract submission until 15 January 2024 (see details below)
Dementia and dementia care have become one of the most discussed topics in healthcare and modern societies, given the high volume and constant increase in people with dementia. Currently, there are no therapies that can halt or reverse the cognitive impairment process among these individuals, adversely affecting their quality of life.
For patients lacking relevant decision-making capacity at the time a decision needs to be made, there arises a need for surrogate decision-making—entrusting someone else to decide on their behalf. Patients who previously had decision-making capacity may have foreseen the loss of capacity and provided instructions for future medical decisions, known as an advance directive. One type of advance directive designates the surrogate decision-maker, while a more substantive one, often called a living will, outlines specific principles or considerations to guide the surrogate’s decisions in various circumstances.
Regulation and practice of advance directives differ in each European country and within the EU. Such a context raises numerous social, legal, ethical, and healthcare issues, many of which intersect with public health ethics, clinical ethics, and the everyday lives of caregivers and people with dementia.
Governments and public health authorities have established legal frameworks incorporating ethical, political, and legal components. However, different types of regulation and practices have been implemented in various countries. Additionally, in certain European countries, advance directives have yet to be introduced.
The complexity deepens as many individuals in the early stages of dementia and their caregivers are largely unfamiliar with the concept of advance directives. Furthermore, the challenge is exacerbated by the difficulty or impossibility of applying some existing regulations due to inconsistencies between formal regulations and the practical realities on the ground.
This context gives rise to ethical tensions concerning the delicate balance between the interests of the public and individuals. The diverse impacts of advance directives, or their absence, on patients, healthcare professionals, and the healthcare system raise significant concerns regarding the well-being, autonomy, justice, and equity of all relevant key players. The perspectives of formal and informal caregivers on advance directives in dementia care from various national contexts add further layers to the ethical considerations.
This edited volume aims to compile an international and multidisciplinary collection of essays that thoroughly examine diverse perspectives, theories, and policies on advance directives in the realm of dementia care across different national and cultural settings. We welcome contributions that delve into issues from a broad conceptual base or scrutinize specific ethical cases and relevant facts through varied empirical designs and methods, including case studies, philosophical analyses, and all forms of qualitative or quantitative methods.
Proposals for contributions to the volume should address these and related questions. Interdisciplinary contributions that span multiple areas, such as the relationship between ethics, sociability, the connection between caregivers and patients, politics and policy, or questions of legal ethics, are especially welcome.
Submission of abstracts
Those interested in submitting a chapter should submit an abstract by 15 January 2024.
The abstract should summarize the proposed content of the chapter. The descriptive summary should not exceed 500 words. In addition, the abstract should include the title of the chapter and the names and affiliations of all authors.
Abstracts should be written in English and sent as a Word document attached to an email to Dr Veselin Mitrović ([email protected], [email protected]). The authors will be informed by February 5, 2024, whether they are invited to submit a chapter to the edited volume.
IMPORTANT DATES
Submission of abstracts: by 15 January 2024
Decision on acceptance of abstracts: by 05 February 2024
Paper submission by authors: by 01 August 2024
Decision on acceptance and feedback provision from the editors: by 30 September 2024
Submission of requested revisions of accepted papers by authors: by the end of October 2024.
Planned date of book publication: end of 2024 or early 2025
Edited by Veselin Mitrović, Olga Riklikienė and Daniel Sperling
To be published by an international publisher (first choice Springer)
