Practical Dementia Care


Book Description

This is a comprehensive yet practical guide to the care and management of patients with dementia from the time of diagnosis to the end of life. It is intended for the increasing number of physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, and long-term care givers responsible for the care of individuals with dementia. For the Second Edition, the authors have added a chapter on mild cognitive impairment. The sections that received the most extensive revision or expansion include those on drug therapy; the pathophysiology of several causes of dementia; psychiatric symptoms of dementia and their treatment (especially drug treatment); and dementia in special environments (especially assisted living and nursing homes).




The Creative Arts in Dementia Care


Book Description

The physical care of people with dementia is of vital importance, but so too is their emotional, social, mental and spiritual wellbeing. The creative arts are gaining increasing recognition not only as a tool for delivering effective person-centred dementia care, but also for attending to soul as well as body. Encouraging those who care for people with dementia to develop their own creative skills, this book provides a creative map of care with easy-to-follow examples and detailed case studies. After explaining why adopting a creative approach is central to effective dementia care, the authors go on to discuss meditation, singing, movement and storytelling, describing the therapeutic benefits of each and giving practical examples of how they can be used with individuals or groups. They also look at the importance of creative supervision in promoting creativity and creating a safe space for honest interpersonal connection: an essential foundation for effective teamwork. This book will be an invaluable resource for anyone involved in the care of a person with dementia, including professional staff in residential and nursing homes, hospitals and day centres, families and other non-professional carers.




Enriched Care Planning for People with Dementia


Book Description

The correlation between 'disengagement' and illness in people with dementia living in long-term care settings is becoming more widely recognised, and developing and adapting front-line staff responses to the changing needs of individuals is a crucial factor in addressing this problem. This book presents a complete practical framework for whole person assessment, care planning and review of persons with dementia or signs of dementia (including those with learning disabilities) who are in need of, or already receiving, health and/or social support. The book provides photocopiable assessment forms, guidelines for carrying out the assessment, and suggestions for tailored interventions based on the profile that emerges from the assessment process. The authors also include a clear explanation of the five theoretical components of dementia that are considered in the assessment: health, biography, personality, neurological impairment and social psychology. This good practice guide will provide a step up to the challenge of providing person centred care as a minimum standard rather than just an ideal. Care workers in residential settings and social workers assessing clients for their support requirements will find this an essential resource.




Dementia Care


Book Description

Dementia is both a personal and a societal challenge. The goal of Dementia Care: A Practical Approach is to focus on how practitioners can meet this challenge with hope and compassion, thereby enabling those with dementia to live well. The book takes a ‘strengths approach’ with an emphasis on exploring sustainable strategies. Its content is underpinned by relevant policies and strategies and explicitly links to research evidence while always valuing the voices of those living with dementia. Covering various dementia strategies, the book provides a clear vision of dementia care delivery and is mapped to the Curriculum for UK Dementia Education. For health care students, the content is also mapped to the requirements of the Health and Care Professions Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The book includes experiences of people living with dementia, practical examples, self-assessment questions, and key point summaries. It is a valuable resource to practitioners, informal caregivers, families, individuals with dementia or those wanting to know more about the subject.




Design for Nature in Dementia Care


Book Description

Adopts a holistic and person-centred approach to caring for dementia sufferers by considering their emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being. Provides comprehensive examples of the wide range of ways a person can connect to nature through indoor and outdoor activities, elements and environments.




The 36-Hour Day


Book Description

The 36-Hour Day is the definitive dementia care guide.




Alzheimer’s and Dementia


Book Description

Individuals or families receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or brain damage from a stroke face daunting questions: how to provide for care when the patient can no longer manage his or her own affairs, how to protect their rights and property, where to go for help, and how to cope with the day-to-day challenges of fading memory and diminished cognition. Here is a comprehensive guide specifically for aging Nevadans and for family members, professional caregivers, and health care workers who help them. The authors—an elder law attorney and a specialist in geriatric care management—offer readers useful advice from the perspective of Nevada resources and Nevada law, addressing such topics as the legal and financial steps that patients and their families can take to protect themselves and their assets, paying for long-term care, arranging for guardianship, and tending to the details that follow the death of a loved one. This edition, updated in 2011, includes information about recent changes in laws that affect seniors, new research and treatments, and a new guide to resources throughout the state that can provide assistance to people afflicted with these medical conditions.




Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today


Book Description

Reminiscence is a vital way to stimulate communication and promote confidence and self-worth in people with dementia. This practical guide is designed to give those who care for people with dementia a clear sense of how reminiscence can be used to greatly improve their quality of life. The book explores how reminiscence can contribute to person-centred dementia care and contains detailed descriptions of activities that can be used in a group setting, for one-to-one reminiscence at home or in a variety of care settings. Based on ideas developed and tested internationally over a period of ten years, the book offers imaginative approaches to reminiscence and a wealth of resources for use in a wide range of situations. The book includes advice on organising a reminiscence project and provides a useful planning tool for group sessions. Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today highlights the value of reminiscence for those with dementia and is an essential guide to good practice for family and professional carers.




Care That Works


Book Description

In her widely acclaimed Doing Things, Jitka M. Zgola offered practical and much-needed advice for those caring for persons with Alzheimer disease. Now, in Care That Works, Zgola shows how caregivers can better meet the demanding challenges of their job by building and improving their personal relationships with those in their care. Instead of simply prescribing approaches, Care That Works gives caregivers the information with which they can develop their own approaches, evaluate their effectiveness, and continue to grow in skill and insight. Zgola explains that optimal dementia care involves three elements: a good relationship between the caregiver and the person who has dementia, a safe and nurturing environment, and meaningful activities. Evident throughout the book is Zgola's gift for compassionately portraying the difficulties faced by people with dementia and then suggesting ways to act in a manner that accords such people the respect and dignity they deserve. Topics that receive special attention include communicating with persons who have language deficits and coping with problem behaviors—two critical problems in dementia care.