A Clinical Social Work Case Study on Alzheimer’s Disease and Assisted Dying

This clinical case study examines the psychosocial, ethical, and existential experiences of a client with Alzheimer’s disease who sought to pursue assisted dying. Throughout ongoing psychotherapy, the client engaged in structured reflective journaling and therapeutic discussions focused on illness meaning, identity, autonomy, anticipatory grief, relational burden, and end-of-life preferences. Client narratives reflected significant emotional and existential concerns related to anticipated cognitive decline, including fears surrounding loss of autonomy, identity, and personhood. Clinical social work interventions, including supportive psychotherapy, reminiscence-oriented approaches, psychoeducation, and guided narrative reflection, provided a therapeutic space for emotional processing, values clarification, and communication regarding highly sensitive end-of-life concerns. This case underscores the important role of clinical social workers in supporting individuals with dementia and their families and further emphasizes the need to strengthen healthcare professionals’ capacity to navigate complex discussions surrounding dementia, autonomy, and end-of-life decision-making with ethical sensitivity, advanced communication skills, and person-centered care.