Talking with Dementia Reconsidered

“The voice of lived experience is ever growing and without doubt we should never miss an opportunity like this to listen, capture and learn from it.”
Paola Barbarino, CEO, Alzheimer’s Disease International

“This latest book will help so many people - those with dementia and their loved ones.”
Victoria Derbyshire, British Journalist, Newsreader and Broadcaster

“Talking with Dementia Reconsidered is a landmark, which will inspire professionals, researchers and the upcoming cohort of people whose lives are affected by dementia.”
Tom Dening, Professor of Dementia Research, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK

“I would strongly advise all health and social care professionals to read this and rethink what they “know” about dementia.”
Dr Hilda Hayo Chief Admiral Nurse and CEO, Dementia UK

This book places people living with a diagnosis of dementia at its core, providing each person with the opportunity to express themselves whilst viewing their lives in relation to the Kitwood flower model.

Authored by a person living with dementia, an experienced consultant clinical psychologist and a respected academic, the three combine to amplify and showcase the words of the Fifteen people living with dementia, in an original, authentic and unique way. This book:


Gives readers transparent insight into the lives, hopes and fears of a diverse range of people living with various forms of dementia
Shows how each petal of the Kitwood flower with love at its centre is a helpful framework for each person to describe their life
Links the interviews with issues, frameworks, policy and practice
Examines what stakeholders can take from this book to advance dementia care.


Talking with Dementia Reconsidered truthfully adds to the growing knowledge base of what life with dementia is really like in an engaging and informative way. It is essential reading for anyone and everyone directly or indirectly affected by dementia through lived experience, studying dementia or working professionally to support those affected.

The Reconsidering Dementia Series is an interdisciplinary series published by Open University Press that covers contemporary issues to challenge and engage readers in thinking deeply about the topic. The dementia field has developed rapidly in its scope and practice over the past ten years and books in this series will unpack not only what this means for the student, academic and practitioner, but also for all those affected by dementia.

Series Editors: Dr Keith Oliver and Professor Dawn Brooker MBE.

Dr Keith Oliver is an Alzheimer's Society Ambassador and Dementia Service User Envoy for Kent and Medway Partnership NHS Trust in the UK. He retired from being a head teacher when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 55. Keith is Series editor for the Reconsidering Dementia Series. 

Reinhard Guss is Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and former Dementia Work Stream Lead for the Faculty of the Psychology of Older People (FPOP). Reinhard is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist working within the National Health Service.

Dr Ruth Bartlett is Associate Professor at the University of Southampton, UK, co-director of the University’s Doctoral Training Centre in Dementia Care and Principal Investigator of an interdisciplinary, cross-faculty research project funded by the Alzheimer’s Society.