Since the publication of the first edition of this book (in 2008), much has been written about dementia care and what should be done to improve it. I am honoured to be asked to write a preface to this second edition. My dementia, diagnosed very early, has thankfully not progressed very much. My involvement in projects, teaching, and discussions has however increased, and takes up a great deal of my spare time. I am sure that the many new developments and ideas since 2008 have informed much of the reformation of this valuable book.

As someone involved in the work to produce the Department of Health’s “Living Well with Dementia: A National Dementia Strategy for England” (۲۰۰۹), I was so pleased that both carers and people with dementia were involved in reference groups to ensure that their ideas were included. Three years after the publication of the Strategy for England (and several other national strategies in the UK and Europe followed), the Prime Minister issued his Challenge on Dementia: “delivering major improvements in dementia care and research by 2015”. As we move towards 2015, more work has been done and particular areas of concern and policy have been highlighted.

About the Author

Contents

Chapter 1 Prevalence and projections of dementia
Chapter 2 Dementia-friendly communities
Chapter 3 Ethnicity and dementia
Chapter 4 Ethics in dementia care: storied lives, storied ethics
Chapter 5 Dementia as a public health issue: research or services?
Chapter 6 Representations of people withd ementia in the media and in literature
Chapter 7 Living with young-onset dementia
Chapter 8 A bio-psycho-social approachto dementia
Chapter 9 Selfhood and the body in dementia care
Chapter 10 The arts in dementia care
Chapter 11 Design matters in dementia care: the role of the physical environment in dementia care settings
Chapter 12 Understanding and enhancing the relationship between people with dementia and their family carers
Chapter 13 Supporting families coping with dementia: flexibility and change
Chapter 14 Supporting cognitive abilities
Chapter 15 Working with life history
Chapter 16 Understanding behaviour
Chapter 17 Communication and relationships: an inclusive social world
Chapter 18 Supporting health and physical well-being
Chapter 19 Diagnosis and post-diagnosis support
Chapter 20 Whole person assessment and care planning
Chapter 21 Living at home
Chapter 22 Acute care of people with dementia in the general hospital
Chapter 23 The role of specialist housing in supporting older people with dementia
Chapter 24 Care homes
Chapter 25 Palliative care
Chapter 26 Grief and bereavement
Chapter 27 Supporting persons with dementia through transitions in care
Chapter 28 Involving people with dementia in service development and evaluation
Chapter 29 A trained and supported ‘workforce
Chapter 30 Leadership in dementia care