Seeing Beyond Dementia

Rita has worked in the field of teaching communication skills and English as a foreign language for over 20 years. She has specialized in working with medical professionals: GPs, consultants, nurses, physiotherapists and dentists. Not a medical professional herself, her work has been to help these professionals to improve their English language and communication skills to aid interaction with their patients/clients, particularly within the consultation. Rita first became interested in issues around dementia when her husband started working as a care worker with people in the later stages of the condition. The growing national and international interest of governments and the public, plus the frequent media stories, fueled this interest into a deep personal concern. Her MA in Human Rights and Equal Opportunities influenced her in viewing the topic from this perspective. See the person, not the dementia!! She is currently working on a book for multi-disciplinary teams working with people with dementia.

Preface. About the author. Introduction. Dementia - What's it all about? Basic information on dementia. What is dementia? What causes dementia? Symptoms of dementia. Current thinking. Person-centred approach. Personhood. Equality, diversity, inclusion, rights. Medical model v social model. Communication - How do I get through? What is involved in communication? Basic preparation. Tips for communicating with people with dementia. Listening. Communication in the later stages of dementia. Advice from a person with dementia. Language - What do I say? Functional language. Showing respect and patience. Showing concern. Comforting. Calming and reassuring. Suggesting and advising. Persuading. Praising. Encouraging. Being optimistic/cheering up. Challenging Behaviour - How do I react? Handling challenging behaviour. Most common dementia-associated behaviours. Triggers. Confusion. Agitation. Hallucinations. Aggression. Repetitive behaviour. Shouting and screaming. Lack of inhibition. Night time waking. Trailing and checking. Hiding and losing things. Restlessness. Suspicion. Apathy. Sundowning. Wandering. Carer, look after yourself! Encouraging conversation and activity - What do I do? Reminiscing. Life histories. Activities. Keep up the communication! Conclusion. English check answers. Word check. Appendices. References.