Getting to know the person with dementia: the impact of diagnosis

This video won its category (Best factual new media) at the Older People Media Awards 2013.

It introduces 6 people who have been diagnosed with dementia.  Understanding the person with dementia helps to provide person centred care and support.

Messages for practice

• Understanding the person with dementia helps to provide person centred care and support.
• Sometimes people with dementia are upset about the changes they are experiencing; they need support to deal with how they feel, different people have different emotions.
• Getting to know the person with dementia will help them to maintain their independence and dignity. It will help to ensure they are treated as an individual; this is really important to the person
  with dementia.
• People with dementia still have interesting lives; we need to look past their dementia.

• Useful links Open

  And still the music plays
  Professor Graham Stokes’ 2008 book shares the stories of 22 people with dementia and in doing so conveys that it is critical to think deeply about each person individually in order to respond well to their unique needs. Published by Hawker Publications.

  Dancing with dementia: My story of living positively with dementia
  Christine Bryden writes powerfully in this book about her experience of living with dementia, and argues for greater empowerment and respect for people with dementia as individuals. This 2005 book is published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

  Dementia Diaries
  The Dementia Diaries project involves people living with dementia keeping an audio record of their daily life with dementia. Contributions cover a number of themes: care and support, public perceptions, family and friends, living well with dementia, daily challenges, and policies and service provision. The project is the work of the non-profit communications organisation On Our Radar working with DEEP.

  Dementia: Lesley’s story
  This Alzheimer’s Society film features Lesley, who lives with dementia, talking about her life working with children, the work she continues to do and her many hobbies. This film is part of the Society’s ‘Remember the person’ campaign, which asks people to think about the individuals living with dementia and not just the diagnosis.

  The Life Story Network
  This organisation promotes the value of using life stories to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of people and communities, including people with dementia. Its website includes information about workshops and events, sharing practice online, and links to key resources.

• Related pages from this section Open

  • Getting to know the person
    • Impact of diagnosis (video)
    • Importance of memories (video)
    • My life is changing because of dementia
    • Dementia is only part of my life
    • Each person is different so get to know me
    • Helping me live well