PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Dement.

Sec. Dementia Care

Volume 4 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/frdem.2025.1600162

This article is part of the Research TopicDiversity, Intersectionality, and Inclusive Practices in Dementia Care and ResearchView all articles

From Inclusion to Empowerment: Advancing Equity Through Co-Research with People Living with Dementia

Provisionally accepted
Lillian HungLillian Hung1*Joey WongJoey Wong1Karen Lok Yi WongKaren Lok Yi Wong2Emily OngEmily Ong3Granville JohnsonGranville Johnson3Helen Rochford-BrennanHelen Rochford-Brennan3Jim MannJim Mann3Lester GierachLester Gierach3Lynn JacksonLynn Jackson3Mario GregorioMario Gregorio3Mary Beth WightonMary Beth Wighton3Phyllis FehrPhyllis Fehr3
  • 1School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • 2School of Social Work, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • 3IDEA Lab, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

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Too often, people living with dementia are spoken for rather than spoken with. This reflects deeply embedded assumptions/biases about people living with dementia in our society. This article explores the experiences and insights of individuals with dementia, positioning empowerment as a foundational strategy to advance social citizenship and equity. Employing a we reflect collaboratively on more than a decade of shared work in research and advocacy. Our collective analysis identifies three key dimensions essential for meaningful empowerment: (a) recognizing strengths and building capacities, (b) equitable leadership, and (c) supportive environments and learning together. Our findings demonstrate that intentional, respectful collaboration produces extensive social, political, and healthcare benefits, actively challenging inequities and fostering a deeper sense of belonging and contribution.

Keywords: empowerment, Patient and public involvement (PPI), dementia research, patient engagement, health research

Received: 26 Mar 2025; Accepted: 24 Apr 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Hung, Wong, Wong, Ong, Johnson, Rochford-Brennan, Mann, Gierach, Jackson, Gregorio, Wighton and Fehr. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Lillian Hung, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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