Beyond the Dementia Dyad: Rethinking Capacity in a Distributed Mind.

The article focuses on the clinical application of the Extended Mind Concept to dementia care, particularly through the "dementia dyad" model, where a primary caregiver supplements the cognitive deficits of a patient with dementia. This model supports a novel approach called supported decision-makin...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:American Journal of Bioethics Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 67 - 70
Autor principal: Weiss, Anthony P.
Formato: commentary Journal Article
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Apr2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:The article focuses on the clinical application of the Extended Mind Concept to dementia care, particularly through the "dementia dyad" model, where a primary caregiver supplements the cognitive deficits of a patient with dementia. This model supports a novel approach called supported decision-making (SDM), which involves joint decision-making between patient and caregiver, respecting individual autonomy while acknowledging distributed cognition. The article argues for revising traditional capacity assessments to incorporate this extended cognition, including social and technological supports such as AI and brain-computer interfaces, reflecting how decision-making increasingly relies on external resources. It also highlights ethical and practical challenges in balancing support with potential manipulation, suggesting that expanding the dyad model could benefit other vulnerable populations and reduce confrontational capacity evaluations.