Rethinking Communication guide to advanced dementia

23 Dehumanisation and learned helplessness By the advanced stages of dementia the loss of function is widespread and striking. The illness has an impact on all areas of human ability. Communication, memory, understanding, thinking, judgement, planning, learning and physical function are all severely compromised. Individuals with advanced dementia become increasingly reliant on caregivers to undertake activities of daily living. This includes eating, washing, dressing and talking. This dependency is commonly interpreted as indicating that people with advanced dementia have nothing left to contribute to the social world.