Illumination of Shadowing Behavior in Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease: Proximity-Seeking? As Life Becomes the “Strange Situation”

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to suggest an intrapersonal help for caregivers through proposing a model for understanding shadowing behavior. This model is based on Bowlby’s (1973) discussion of attachment and related concepts such as proximityseeking, the “strange situation”, and the secure base. Building on Bowlby’s discussion, Mikulincer and Shaver (2008) developed a visual representation of the dynamics of adult attachment, herein modified and explicated according to its proposed relationship to caregivers and care recipients living with Alzheimer’s disease. A potential underlying brain-based rationale, is also presented