In Death's Waiting Room: Living and Dying with Dementia in a Multicultural Society (Amsterdam University Press - Care and Welfare Series)

The story behind In Death’s Waiting Room is a penetrating human drama that concerns us all—as our “greatest generation” continues to age, more and more families are contending with the onset of dementia in their elderly parents and grandparents, a trend that will only continue as the global population of senior citizens continues to grow with certain speed. For this remarkable volume, Anne-Marie The carried out two years of hands-on ethnographic research in an Amsterdam nursing home for patients with various forms of dementia. In Death’s Waiting Room reveals what usually remains hidden in these modern-day centers of care: the decision to stop treatment, the poverty and voodoo rituals of the black Caribbean nursing staff looking after predominantly white patients, the difficulties faced—and caused—by relatives, and the tensions and aggressions between residents. This immensely readable and moving volume also shares the touching moments of humor and compassion, while at the same time forcing us to consider our own potential confrontation with dementia, in our own or our parents’ lives. From conversations with underpaid nurses to confrontations with family visitors who insist on prolonging treatment against all odds, this searing book is a truly necessary guide to some of the most wrenching aspects of old age. In Death's Waiting Room is a penetrating story about people suffering from dementia in a multi-cultural society, relevant to us all. Anne-Mei The carried out two years of ethnographic research in a nursing home in the Netherlands revealing what usually remains hidden from the public: the decision to stop treatment, the cultural and social gap between the Dutch occupants and the black Caribbean nursing staff, the communication problems with relatives, the tensions and aggression. But she also shares with us the touching and funny moments and experiences with the elderly occupants. This book also unravels "the Blauwborgje case" - which was the focus of much media attention in the Netherlands in the late 1990s - in which a nursing home refused to re-hydrate a man with extreme dementia because they considered his condition to be terminal, whilst his family disagreed and pressed charges for attempted murder. Anne-Mei The gives an account of the events that took place and also explores the wider relevance of the case. Nederland telt op dit moment 250.000 dementerenden en hun aantal neemt toe. Ooit treft wellicht onze ouders, onze geliefden of onszelf dit lot. Anne-Mei The werkte als onderzoeker twee jaar in een verpleeghuis. Zij onthult wat meestal verborgen blijft: de beslissing om te stoppen met behandelen. De armoede en voodoo-rituelen van de gekleurde verzorgenden. Problemen die kunnen optreden met de familie. Spanningen, agressie en seks op de afdeling. Maar ze maakt ons ook deelgenoot van ontroerende en hilarische taferelen. Daarnaast ontrafelt The 'de zaak 't Blauwbörgje' die in de jaren negentig in het nieuws kwam. De familie van een diep demente man beschuldigde het verpleeghuis van poging tot moord.Wat ging er mis? En kan zoiets weer gebeuren? Het boek leest als een roman en zet eenieder aan het denken over de invulling van zijn of haar eigen levenseinde in het geval van dementie

In Death's Waiting Room is a penetrating story about people suffering from dementia in a multi-cultural society, relevant to us all. Anne-Mei The carried out two years of ethnographic research in a nursing home in the Netherlands revealing what usually remains hidden from the public: the decision to stop treatment, the cultural and social gap between the Dutch occupants and the black Caribbean nursing staff, the communication problems with relatives, the tensions and aggression. But she also shares with us the touching and funny moments and experiences with the elderly occupants. This book also unravels "the Blauwborgje case" - which was the focus of much media attention in the Netherlands in the late 1990s - in which a nursing home refused to re-hydrate a man with extreme dementia because they considered his condition to be terminal, whilst his family disagreed and pressed charges for attempted murder. Anne-Mei The gives an account of the events that took place and also explores the wider relevance of the case.

Abstract: In Death's Waiting Room is a penetrating story about people suffering from dementia in a multi-cultural society, relevant to us all. Anne-Mei The carried out two years of ethnographic research in a nursing home in the Netherlands revealing what usually remains hidden from the public: the decision to stop treatment, the cultural and social gap between the Dutch occupants and the black Caribbean nursing staff, the communication problems with relatives, the tensions and aggression. But she also shares with us the touching and funny moments and experiences with the elderly occupants. This book also unravels "the Blauwborgje case" - which was the focus of much media attention in the Netherlands in the late 1990s - in which a nursing home refused to re-hydrate a man with extreme dementia because they considered his condition to be terminal, whilst his family disagreed and pressed charges for attempted murder. Anne-Mei The gives an account of the events that took place and also explores t Title Page ......Page 2 Contents ......Page 6 Acknowledgements ......Page 8 Preface ......Page 10 Introduction ......Page 12 How It All Started ......Page 16 Part I: Park House ......Page 20 Part II: The Blauwbörgje Case ......Page 148 How it All Ended ......Page 203 Notes ......Page 204