I Know How This Ends: Stories of Dementia Care
Priego, Ernesto, Wilkins, Peter., Martins, M. & Grennan, Simon. (2020). I Know How This Ends: Stories of Dementia CareParables of Care: Creative Responses to Dementia Care.. London: City, University of London, University of Chester, and Douglas College.
I Know How This Ends is the second volume of the Parables of Care series, an international graphic medicine project that explores how comics can make dementia care research more accessible and meaningful. Building on the first volume, the book draws on interviews with professional caregivers, educators and college staff in Vancouver, Canada, who shared their personal experiences of caring for relatives and people living with dementia.
Rather than presenting medical advice or clinical case studies, the comic focuses on the emotional realities of caregiving. Each story explores the complex relationship between professional knowledge and the deeply personal experience of caring for someone whose condition gradually changes the dynamics of family life. Themes such as empathy, grief, resilience, uncertainty and compassion emerge through visual storytelling that encourages readers to reflect on the human side of dementia.
Developed through research-informed storytelling and graphic medicine methodologies, the project demonstrates how comics can communicate healthcare research in a way that is engaging, accessible and emotionally resonant. By transforming qualitative interviews into carefully crafted narratives, I Know How This Ends supports knowledge exchange between researchers, healthcare professionals, carers and the wider public, while highlighting the essential role that emotional intelligence plays in dementia care.