The Narrowing of Self as Perceived by People in the Early Stages of Dementia—The Second Report

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study is to shed light on the sense of self that occurs amongst those who have been diagnosed with the early stages of dementia, where the individual attempts narrowing their world. Methods: The research was conducted using qualitative induction research methods, and data were collected using semi-structured interview methods. The interviews were conducted between 2017 and 2019. The 15 participants were residents with families in a Japanese city of about 950,000 people. Results: The diagnosis was Alzheimer’s disease in all cases. Of the 15 participants, six were male and nine female. The average age was 69.9 years. The average score on the MMSE was 19.8 points. The average period since the first diagnosis was 2 years. The average interview time was 51 minutes. The narrowing self perceived by these people diagnosed with mild dementia was composed of the “neglected self” and “closed self.” Conclusion: While living in a safe world in which they had given up on their own possibilities and experienced narrowing, they were unable to give up and harbored regret, anger, resentment, and feelings of absurdity. We believe that this study will help us understand the experiences of people in the early stages of dementia and contribute to providing nursing care that is more tailored to the individuals involved.