Situated Personhood: Insights from Caregivers of Minimally Communicative Individuals.

This article examines the concept of personhood as experienced by caregivers of minimally communicative individuals—such as those with advanced dementia or disorders of consciousness—through a secondary qualitative analysis of interviews and observations. It challenges the dominant "static view" that equates personhood strictly with cognitive capacities and moral status, proposing instead a "situated view" of personhood as dynamic, relational, and context-dependent, wherein caregivers actively "hold in personhood" through strategies like interpreting nonverbal cues, shared history, imaginal relations, and technological aids such as biomusic. The situated view distinguishes personhood from moral status, allowing for moral consideration even when personhood appears diminished or fluctuating. The study highlights tensions between caregivers' efforts and structural constraints in healthcare settings, suggesting that clinical practices and institutions should better support this situated understanding to improve care for minimally communicative individuals.