Wiersma Elaine C, Dupuis Sherry L, Sameshima Pauline, Caffery Philip, Harvey David
Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health, Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, Canada.
Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo, Canada.
Dementia (London). 2025 Feb;24(2):193-213. doi: 10.1177/14713012241295954. Epub 2024 Dec 1.
Metaphors to describe and understand dementia have been used in Western culture for many years. However, the ways in which people living with dementia and care partners use metaphors and symbols to illustrate and give meaning to their own experiences has been less understood. In this paper we explore the use of metaphor as methodology-- a way to support people living with dementia and their care partners in reflecting on and sharing their experiences of dementia. More specifically, drawing on our experiences using metaphor and symbols to map out the dementia journey from the perspectives of people living with dementia, care partners, and health and social care providers in Ontario, Canada, we describe our process of employing metaphor as methodology. We reflect on the use of metaphor as methodology through framing the dementia experience, exploring complexity, and representing multidimensionality. The use of metaphors has the potential to open space for new understandings of dementia.
在西方文化中，用于描述和理解痴呆症的隐喻已被使用多年。然而，痴呆症患者及其护理伙伴使用隐喻和符号来阐释自身经历并赋予其意义的方式却鲜为人知。在本文中，我们探讨将隐喻作为一种方法的运用——一种支持痴呆症患者及其护理伙伴反思和分享他们痴呆症经历的方式。更具体地说，基于我们在加拿大安大略省利用隐喻和符号从痴呆症患者、护理伙伴以及健康和社会护理提供者的角度勾勒痴呆症历程的经验，我们描述了将隐喻用作方法的过程。我们通过构建痴呆症体验、探索复杂性和呈现多维度来反思将隐喻作为方法的运用。隐喻的使用有可能为对痴呆症的新理解开辟空间。
