Professor Steven Sabat
Professor Steven Sabat's research and teaching are marked by an attitude that distinguishes his work: treat other people as people, no matter their circumstances. This respectful approach to interpersonal relationships has made Sabat a lauded professor of Psychology at Georgetown University, as well as an innovator in the research of Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
For nearly three decades Sabat has been working to understand AD better by interacting with individuals afflicted by the disease. Challenging generalized and mainly negative notions about people with AD, Sabat’s approach emphasizes the personal attention that medical care often lacks. He builds relationships with each individual through face-to-face conversation in comfortable settings, and he focuses on that person’s subjective experience of the disease rather than the disease at large. This "bio-psycho-social" approach to individuals with AD helps Sabat subvert the negative stereotypes that are often attached to the disease.
"Most of the public press is focused on what's wrong with people with AD," said Sabat. "I focus on what's right with them, what their strengths are, and how to use that knowledge about them to enhance communication, [and to] improve interpersonal interactions between people with AD and their loved ones and professionals."
