Images in the twilight: Alzheimer's disease and palliative care

This paper provides a discussion of some of the issues surrounding the provision of palliative care for Alzheimer's sufferers and their families during the final stages of the disease. Five nurses working in dementia care institutions in Australia were invited to tell their story about the experience of caring for people in a twilight zone, where the sufferer is suspended in a world that is at the edge of existence. This paper explores the virtual silence in the literature regarding palliative care and Alzheimer's disease. However, it is primarily concemed with the images and metaphors surrounding the advancing stages of the disease. The images and the issues raised during the conversations with these nurses are discussed, together with recommendations for future research in this area.