Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for dementia and provides direction when dementia removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Dementia
Dementia often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when dementia has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult dementia periods
- A basis for action independent of how dementia makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Dementia
Ask yourself: 'If my dementia were less present, what would I be doing more of? What kind of person would I be?'
Values are not goals (achievable and done) but ongoing directions: being a present parent, creating beauty, contributing to others.
Values-Based Action in Dementia
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when dementia is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite dementia, are more sustainable than waiting for dementia to lift first.