Supporting the autonomy of people with young onset dementia

Autonomy and independence are cornerstones for how most of us want to live our lives, a hope that doesn’t change with the onset of dementia. However, dementia can bring issues and impacts that affect people’s autonomy. Our webinar on Wednesday 18th June 2025 at 12.30-1.30pm will explore some practical ideas and resources that can support ways in which autonomy can be maintained for younger people with dementia.  

Linda Clare, Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing and Dementia at University of Exeter, will draw on her research to describe the elements that make it possible to experience a good quality of life when living with dementia. Some of the tools and resources that have emerged from this research offer practical ways to promote autonomy and choice in people’s lives and will also be touched on – including the ‘Living with dementia toolkit’, ‘My life today’ and ‘My life, my goals’. Finally an action plan manifesto directed at others to support autonomy and created by people with dementia and carers’ will be shared.  

The second half of the webinar will be a conversation between Rachael Litherland, Director, Innovations in Dementia and Allison Batchelor and Chris Norris, who both live with young onset dementia, building on the ideas around empowerment, autonomy and choice raised in Linda’s presentation. They will discuss the making of the co-produced resource ‘My life, my goals’ – a practical guide full of hope to help people to set and reach their goals. Allison and Chris will also discuss what autonomy and choice means to them.