Health Professions Press | The Alzheimer's Disease Bill of Rights

The Alzheimer's Disease Bill of Rights

Every person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder deserves the following rights:

To be informed of one's diagnosis.
To have appropriate, ongoing medical care.
To be productive in work and play for as long as possible.
To be treated like an adult, not like a child.
To have expressed feelings taken seriously.
To be free from psychotropic medications, if possible.
To live in a safe, structured, and predictable environment.
To enjoy meaningful activities to fill each day.
To be out-of-doors on a regular basis.
To have physical contact, including hugging, caressing, and hand-holding.
To be with individuals who know one's life story, including cultural and religious traditions.
To be cared for by individuals who are well trained in dementia care.

Source: The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer’s Care, rev. by Virginia Bell and David Troxel.
Copyright © 2003, by Health Professions Press, Inc. Baltimore. Reprinted by permission from Bell, V.M., & Troxel, D. (1994, September/October). An Alzheimer’s disease bill of rights. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Care and Related Disorders & Research.