Redefining the meaning of dementia: A qualitative study of meaning, stigma, and care experiences among family and professional carers

Introduction

As dementia prevalence rises, reliance on carers increases substantially, yet little is known about how carers experience, interpret, and redefine dementia. This qualitative study explored how family and professional carers in the United Kingdom (UK) make sense of dementia, focusing on the meanings they ascribe and how stigma shapes care practices, trajectories, and preferences within cultural, moral, and structural contexts.