Dementia support for family and friends

Dementia Support for Family and Friends
	Contents
	Acknowledgements
	Introduction
	Part 1 - Living with Dementia
		1. Becoming Familiar with Dementia
			What is dementia?
			Features of dementia
			Other considerations
			The extent of dementia
			What causes dementia?
			Can dementia be treated, cured or prevented?
			Dementia in seldom-heard groups
			Women and dementia
			A rights-based approach to dementia
		2. Being a Family Member or Friend of a Person with Dementia
			Family, friends and becoming a ‘main carer’
			The goals of supporting a person with dementia: quality of life and well-being for all
			The qualities needed to support a person with dementia
			Understanding the nature of dementia
			Independence versus assistance
			The impact of dementia on children
			The role of peer and professional support
			Family members and friends: looking after oneself and each other
			How this book can help
		3. Someone Close to Me May Have Dementia:  Assessment, Diagnosis and Types of Dementia
			Identifying dementia
			The first signs of dementia
			How people with dementia react to the onset of the condition
			Diagnosing dementia
			After the diagnosis
			Why is diagnosis important?
			Should the person with dementia be told the diagnosis?
			The main types of dementia
			Types of young-onset dementia
			Delirium – an additional note
		4. Sources of Support for People with Dementia and their Families and Friends
			Professional health services
			Professional social care services
			Lay and peer support services
			Housing options
			Advice and signposting services
			Support services are there to help!
			Financial help and benefits
	Part 2 - Understanding Dementia as it Progresses
		5. The Early Years of Dementia
			The characteristics of early dementia
			Empathy and early dementia
			Awareness and capacity in early dementia
			Maintaining relationships and keeping active in early dementia
			Planning for the future
			Compiling a life story
			Intimacy and sexuality
			Assistive technology
			Driving
			Where should a person with early dementia live?
			The case for improving support services during the early years of dementia
		6. Managing Change as Dementia Progresses
			How dementia progresses
			The changing nature of relationships
			Communication and language as dementia progresses
			Listening and responding to a person with communication difficulties
			Giving a message to a person whose dementia has progressed
			Asking a person with dementia questions
			Guiding and instructing
			Maintaining independence as dementia progresses
		7. Social and Leisure Activities as Dementia Progresses
			Going out
			Helping out
			Exercising
			Activities of daily living
			Sights and sounds
			Pastimes
			Summary: principles of promoting activity with people with dementia
		8. The Challenges of Dementia
			Changes in behaviour
			Challenges to eating and drinking
			Challenges with using the toilet and managing continence
			Challenges due to sleep disturbances
			Challenges of hospital admission
			Challenges of vulnerability and abuse
		9. Considering Residential Care for People with Dementia
			Perceptions of residential care
			What is residential care?
			The decision
			Choosing a care home
			Care home fees
			How to find out about care homes
			What should be expected of a care home?
			Visiting a care home: a checklist of what to look for
			Making the transition
			Staying involved
			Issues with residential care
			Conclusion: Care homes are places to live!
		10. When Dementia Has Become Advanced
			The characteristics of advanced dementia
			Well-being and ill-being in advanced dementia
			Relationships with a person with advanced dementia
			Communication in advanced dementia
			Activity and advanced dementia
			Namaste care
			Helping people with advanced dementia with activities of daily living
			Approaching the end of life
		11. The End of Life
			What is meant by ‘end of life’?
			What causes death amongst people with dementia?
			Feelings of family members and friends as end of life approaches
			How would we want to die?
			Dementia and end of life care
			Supporting people who are dying
			A good death?
			Support after death
	Conclusion – Suffering from Dementia or Living with Dementia?
	Resources
	Index