Perdita di libertà e capacità: gli impatti psicologici e morali della diagnosi di demenza sul senso di identità e di agency

This paper examines the psychological and moral impacts of a dementia diagnosis on the sense of identity and agency. Through clinical case studies and an interdisciplinary approach, the work explores the phenomenology of the “incipient” phase, marked by the detachment between action and subjective recognition. It discusses how the erosion of free will and positive liberty necessitates moving beyond purely cognitive models of identity. Finally, the Capability Approach is proposed as a normative framework to foster care practices that safeguard the dignity and relational autonomy of the individual.