“I’m still the queen and I’m still on my throne…”: Women’s reflections on gender and living with dementia

Abstract

People with dementia have long been defined by the label of dementia, rather than by other aspects of their identities including gender. As a result, little research has focused on gender and dementia, particularly through the perspectives of those living with dementia. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and perspectives of women living with dementia. Specifically, we sought to understand how gender structured their experiences of receiving and coping with a diagnosis, services, and important relationships and supports. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, twenty-one women living with dementia participated in individual or group interviews. Women discussed the following aspects of gender and dementia: caregiver roles, perceptions of gender differences, the impact of dementia on families, and women’s strength and resilience. The findings of this study indicate a clear need for further research to explore diversity and gendered experiences for those diagnosed with dementia.

Keywords:

• Dementia
• diversity
• gender
• lived experience
• qualitative analysis
• women

Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge the Alzheimer Society of Ontario for their support of the project. We also would like to thank the women who participated in the project for sharing their stories.

Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Women's College Hospital Women's Xchange.