Temporality and identity loss due to Alzheimer's disease.

Proceeding from the assumption that the social construction of one's identity is a life long process, and that it is formed, maintained, and altered in daily social interaction, this paper examines the loss of identity attributes in a person with Alzheimer's disease as the changes are perceived by a family member. Specifically, the paper focuses on: (1) strategies caregivers used to 'hang on to' their respective loved ones as they were once known, and (2) the temporally subjective aspects of that experience.