Abstract
The increasing prevalence of dementia presents significant challenges for aging societies, particularly within the broader context of the ‘polycrisis’, where demographic change intersects with social, economic, and care system transformations. This study explores how different care models in Germany and Scotland shape the lived experiences of people with dementia and their caregivers. Drawing on an ethics of care perspective and secondary qualitative data from two research projects, we examine the impact of informal family care, live-in migrant care, and residential care settings on autonomy, identity, and intergenerational relationships. Our findings highlight how the structures of national care systems—Scotland’s reliance on informal family care with some limited formal support versus Germany’s increasing use of live-in migrant carers, alongside the continuing existence of residential care homes in both countries —affect both the well-being of people with dementia and the ethical tensions within caregiving relationships. While policies in both countries emphasize ‘aging in place’, practical barriers such as financial constraints, workforce shortages, and legal uncertainties in migrant live-in care arrangements challenge the realization of this goal. Moreover, the narratives of people with dementia reveal experiences of both agency and marginalization, underscoring the need for person-centered approaches that account for emotional, social, and policy dimensions of care. By situating dementia care within the broader dynamics of the polycrisis, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how demographic aging interacts with structural care challenges, offering insights for more sustainable and ethically informed care policies.
Presenters
Anna Eva NebowskyPostDoc, Division for Prevention and Rehabilitation Research and Division for Ethics in Medicine/Department of Health Services Research, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Aging, Intergenerational Solidarity and the Polycrisis
KEYWORDS
DEMENTIA, HOME CARE, LIVE-IN CARE, MIGRANT CARE, RESIDENTIAL CARE, POLICY
