Finding the Light in Dementia:: A Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers

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This is an excellent guide for anyone who has a family member or friend suffering with dementia. Really helpful advice & explanations on why certain behaviours happen & how to deal / cope with them. The best bit about this book is it is easy to read – short chapters & clearly written with very little jargon, so it is very accessible. It’s also helpful to have sections for making notes about your own circumstances, the idea being that you have the day to day information to take to a doctor if needed. The book takes you through from initial diagnosis all the way to making the decision to look at residential care, and it truly does “find the light” in all stages of that journey. It is reassuring for someone who has little or no experience with dementia to know that as a carer they are not alone, as quotes & comments from real life people are included throughout. It is a very positive book & has real tips & techniques for dealing with the situation of having a loved one suffering from such a cruel disease. Sandra

An on-line self-care and wellbeing hub for carers and health and social care staff to help them heal from the stress, grief and bereavement caused by Covid and beyond; Through listening to & supporting people & their families during & following their diagnosis in memory clinics, caring for people who have dementia in hospital & in care homes, she has helped people throughout all of the stages of their condition.Janet agrees, ‘It is very easy to read, with lots of advice about everyday practicalities such as eating, washing, dressing and safety. Additionally. the author describes ways to keep the person stimulated and still able to enjoy life via music, art, memory books and boxes, and nature. Mullins, J.M., Tales, A., Musselwhite, C., Rich, N., 2022, “Rekindling couplehood” using a multisensory suitcase of memories: A pilot study of people living with moderate dementia and their partners, Ageing & Society. Going to the toilet involves a series of complex stages that require memory, dexterity and mobility. A person living with dementia may have difficulties with staying continent for many reasons, they may:

It concludes by discussing the possibility of the person needing admission to a care home and advises how to face this and choose the best home.’ Being a Finding the Light in Dementia Care™ trained carer means that people can be confident that they or their loved one will be cared for with dignity, understanding, empathy and compassion at all stages of their condition, and that the people who care for them are well, resilient and supported. If you have a young family you are undoubtedly going to be concerned about how the diagnosis will impact on them. Whilst the news is distressing, children and teens may actually be relieved to know that their loved one’s behaviour is caused by a disease and that they are not the cause. It is better to be open and honest with them so they can continue to feel trust towards you and they may very likely learn how to manage their emotions more effectively when you all pull together. Make sure that you explain to them about the diagnosis in a calm way and give some simple examples of how the dementia may affect your partner, such as forgetting names and losing words. Remember it is important to remind them of all that your partner is still able to do, so that you do not all focus too much on their difficulties. Give them plenty of hugs and reassurance and give them the opportunity to ask questions at all times and to express their feelings. Getting them involved in activities will help them stay connected to your partner and help them feel a sense of usefulness. Focus on what they can do.Developing a Suitcase of Memories, using multisensory reminiscence with couples to help them communicate and stay connected through my work as a Researcher at the Awen Institute, Swansea University Caroline Branney, who manages our Dementia Knowledge Centre, warns against making the proverbial mistake about judging books. Created with people who have dementia, families and caregivers and delivered through films, animations, presentations and podcasts – Accessible, enjoyable, sustainable real-life learning for all learning styles and levels. Tom Tremayne, Creative Director. Tom is a true creative, who studied Fine Art and then went on to graduate from Newport Film School. His first commercially released short film, When I Fall in Love (2014), a dementia awareness film was selected for screening at Cardiff Mini Film Festival in 2015. Tom is a skilled photographer, specialising in soundscapes, and has over five years' professional experience in analogue film reproduction, photo restoration and editing - look out for the Suitcase of Memories rewards! Keep the toilet door open so that it is visible to them or put a picture sign on the door to identify where the toilet is (making sure the sign is at a height they can see and is not shiny)