Ethics of Dementia & Social Media
All Home Care Matters presents the “Ethics of Dementia & Social Media”
This panel discussion examines and explores the ethical challenges and issues that arise with the rising influence of social media and how it can present challenges for deciding what is appropriate and what is not appropriate when sharing, recording, and posting individuals who have dementia.
We examine the ethical dilemma of asking if a person with dementia should have their likeness, video, and image shared on social media without their consent and how can you determine if consent is provided if it is informed and able to be given?
If a post is shared on social media of an individual with dementia and it is positive, educational, and/or helpful is that ok if no consent if given?
Is consent not still required regardless of the purpose and motive of the social media post?
We welcomed 9 of the world’s most influential dementia experts, influencers, educators, and advocates to discuss this very important topic and to try and determine what is and what is not appropriate when it comes to sharing images, posts, and videos of individuals with dementia.
Our objective for this discussion was to help bring attention to an issue that has seldom been considered in hopes of furthering the conversation and to help protect individuals with dementia from the potential for abuse, exploitation, and having their images being shared on social media without their knowledge and consent.
This distinguished panel included:
Dr. Jennifer Bute, former medical doctor and founder of Glorious Opportunity (she is living with a dementia diagnosis)
Tim England, master’s-educated in dementia and internationally recognized dementia champion
Lori La Bey, internationally recognized dementia expert and founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio and The Dementia Map
Alban Maino, CEO of Memory Lane TV and dementia advocate
Bettina Morrow, master’s-educated in dementia and Masters-educated in social work specializing in adult services
Professor Ralph Martins, PhD, professor of neurobiology at Macquarie University
Marianne Sciucco, RN, co-founder of AlzAuthors
Dr. James Vickers, PhD, director of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Center and past president of the Australasian Neuroscience Society
Leah Waller, founder of DementiaTLC