Inclusive (social) citizenship and persons with dementia

Abstract

This article aims to advance knowledge of inclusive (social) citizenship, through an empirical analysis of the access work of persons with a dementia. Drawing on the notion of cognitive accessibility and empirical data collected in Southern England using a novel methodology of go-along walking interviews with 15 people with dementia followed by a sit-down interview that included a nominated family member, this paper examines how persons with dementia access the outside world. The study found that access work entailed three spheres of activity: ‘access to location technologies’, ‘access to ordinary places’, and ‘consciously sharing the responsibility of access work’. Overall, this article contributes to the growing literature on cognitive accessibility by evidencing the mental demands of access work, as experienced by people with dementia, and need to share the responsibility of access work between humans and non-humans, and state and non-state actors.Points of interestAccess to the outside world is important for disabled people, including people with dementia.This study examined the outdoor experiences of 15 persons with dementia living at home in southern England, to find out what access means for someone with a neurological condition.This study found that access work involved ‘access to location technologies’, ‘access to ordinary places’, and ‘consciously sharing the responsibility of access work’.The study shows how important it is to take account of cognition when promoting access rights for disabled people, including people with dementia.

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