Book Description

Playfulness has an important role in ensuring that life continues to be enjoyable and meaningful after a person is diagnosed with dementia. This positive and uplifting book sets out to establish playfulness as an essential component of dementia care, and will be a key text in changing attitudes and offering practical suggestions for new and valuable ways of interacting and being with people with the condition. The author explains what is meant by playfulness within this context, and why it is so important for people with dementia, including as a way of maintaining meaningful relationships and a sense of personhood, as a way of retaining control and as a way into lateral thinking. He provides a wealth of practical suggestions for bringing activities with an element of playfulness into day-to-day dementia care, illustrating these with photographs and many examples drawn from his own extensive experience and from people with dementia, their families and professional caregivers. The importance of spontaneity and of being with the person with dementia in the present moment is emphasized, and the author encourages the reader to develop a more playful mindset, giving them the confidence to engage with different kinds of emotions and follow where playfulness leads, even if a sense of uncertainty is generated. The ethical dimensions of playfulness in dementia care are also covered, including important boundaries to be observed and guidance on dealing with difficult situations. Offering a fresh and original perspective that will illuminate our interactions with people with dementia, this is essential reading for professional care staff, activity coordinators, therapists, nurses, people with dementia and their families and caregivers, and anyone else concerned with the wellbeing of those with the condition.