[The Ultimate Disaster? Dementia between Personal Experience and Social Representation].

Dementia is widely regarded as one of the greatest threats to a good and dignified life in old age, a condition so terrifying that even death appears preferable. This contribution is dedicated to a critical discussion of the corresponding conceptions of dementia. It first provides an overview on the existing knowledge on the wellbeing and quality of life of people with dementia. Against this backdrop, it explores the reasons for the negative assessment of dementia in the public sphere. In doing so, it examines prevalent interpretations of dementia in light of widespread societal views and values. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.