How can positive psychology approaches help us to understand the process of adjustment to, and living well with dementia?As accounts of positive experiences in dementia are increasingly emerging, this book reviews current evidence and explores how psychological constructs such as hope, humour, creativity, spirituality, wisdom, resilience and personal growth may be linked with wellbeing and quality of life in dementia. Expert contributors from a range of academic and clinical backgr...

Positive shifts in attitudes mean that emphasis is now being placed on the person with dementia and their personal relationships, rather than the illness. There is also growing recognition of the significance of a person's spiritual life in forming an essential basis for their sense of identity, and in providing them with a resource for coping.Offering an inter-disciplinary approach to spirituality and personhood in dementia care, the contributors to this book are leading practitio...

Poetry is an engaging and inclusive activity for older people that can help develop memory, imagination and identity. This book provides guidance on setting up and monitoring poetry projects for people living with dementia in group care homes and individual families. It explains the benefits of creative expression for people with dementia, and shows how to facilitate poetry reading and writing groups in different environments.Specific techniques for introducing poetry to older peop...

This important book simply but persuasively demonstrates why we should provide the opportunities for people with dementia to experience the great outdoors. It also gives a voice to people with dementia who have felt the benefit of getting closer to nature. The contributors explore many different ways in which people with dementia can experience and interact with nature through pursuits such as farming, gardening and walking, and the book includes a chapter on the therapeutic, life-enhancin...

Establishing playfulness as an essential component of dementia care, this positive and uplifting book will be key in changing attitudes and providing ideas for new and valuable ways of interacting and being with individuals with the condition.John Killick explores the nature of playfulness and the many ways in which it can enrich the lives of people with dementia, including as a means of maintaining relationships and communication, supporting communication and generally lifting the...

Providing people with dementia with opportunities to engage in creative activity can play a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing communication, and in reinforcing personhood and identity. This thoughtful book describes how people with dementia, and the people who work with and care for them, can foster and develop a creative approach, and provides rich and varied ideas for creative activities.The authors explore the concept of creativity - what exactly it is, its particular re...

More than 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's disease or a related form of dementia. By the year 2030, experts estimate that as many as 66 million people around the world will be faced with this life-altering disease. Unfortunately, these staggering statistics impact millions of caregivers, too. Compared with all types of caregivers, those who assist someone with dementia experience the highest levels of burnout, depression, poor health, and premature death. A Dig...

Kate Swaffer was just 49 years old when she was diagnosed with a form of younger onset dementia. In this book, she offers an all-too-rare first-hand insight into that experience, sounding a clarion call for change in how we ensure a better quality of life for people with dementia.Kate describes vividly her experiences of living with dementia, exploring the effects of memory difficulties, loss of independence, leaving long-term employment, the impact on her teenage sons, and the eno...

The role of humour, laughter and play in healthcare and wellbeing is a hot topic. Smiles are Everywhere: Integrating clown-play into healthcare practice is a practical handbook aimed primarily at healthcare professionals and those working in healthcare settings who wish to bring play and humour into their work.Drawing together the authors’ considerable experience in practice, research and training in the use of humour in healthcare settings, this book works to bring theory...

Person-centred dementia care relies on leadership that supports the ongoing process of learning about and valuing individuals, their feelings, strengths and needs, and using this knowledge to enhance wellbeing and create a positive care environment.With a strong practical focus and many helpful case examples, this book will equip readers with the practical skills, knowledge and confidence necessary to lead person-centred dementia care. The areas explored are relevant across a wide ...

'A fine book' The Sunday Times'Powerful' Guardian'Wonderful' The Telegraph**'Moving, funny, warm'**Mail on Sunday'Brave, compassionate, tender and honest' Metro**'This book began as an attempt to hold on to my witty, storytelling mother with the one thing I had to hand. Words. Then, as the enormity of the social cr...

When Eleanor Morgan published a first-person account of her struggles with anxiety as part of the online series the VICE Guide to Mental Health, the response was staggering. Within four days, the article was read by five million people in fifteen countries, prompted tens of thousands of reader responses and was endorsed by numerous high-profile celebrities, including Caitlin Moran.In Anxiety for Beginners, Morgan digs even deeper, combining her own experiences—rendered in ...