Eminent historian Professor Joanna Bourke recently gave a lecture on the cultural history of dementia now available online, in which she looks at how it has evolved from being considered a “normal part of ageing” to being considered “a disease that demands a cure.” She argues for a more open attitude to cognitive difference and concludes by saying that “embracing cognitive alterities is good for all of us.” Here is a link to the lecture www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/dementia-history.
