There are many excellent examples of good practice in the theory and practice of those living with dementia. There has been some pioneering work that has taken place in Australia and it was there that I understood, by seeing it first hand, the important connection to gardens, the environment and nature, as a significant component of caring for a person with dementia. This book (Design for Nature in Dementia Care, 2007, Garuth Chalfont, ISBN No: 9781843105718, 176pp, pb, £19.99) provides comprehensive examples of ways to connect to nature through indoor and outdoor activities. It is well designed, clearly articulates the theory behind the practice and provides a very wide range of practical suggestions. The quality of the writing emerges in part, from the fact that this is an inter-disciplinary piece of research environmental psychology, neurology, architecture, nursing and dementia care practice.
One of the fears that many people have about coming into a community or institutional setting for care is the potential for boredom. Many people still hold the image of the resident’s lounge in a residential care home as a place with chairs pushed up against the wall, with a television set switched on and nobody really taking any notice of anything. Jackie Pool, has produced a third edition of the Pool Activity Level (PAL) Instrument, which has become generally used as the framework for activity based care systems in a variety of health and care settings. It is to be commended as an essential resource for any practitioner wanting to provide fulfilling occupation for clients with cognitive impairments (The Pool Activity Level (PAL) Instrument for Occupational Profiling, Jackie Pool, 2007, ISBN No: 9781843105947, 176pp, pb, £25.00).
Finally, we have all come across families who often wrestle with the decision to move a person with dementia into a care home. This decision can often involve feelings of loss, sadness, and guilt. Sometimes care homes are not as good as they might be in developing good relationships between the family and their work. In this brief and informative guide, the authors take person centred dementia care a step forward by outlining ways in which care homes can help families become partners in the caring process. The book will be helpful both to those working in care homes but also for families living with dementia (Involving Families in Care Homes, Bob Woods, John Keady and Diane Seddon, 2007, ISBN No : 9781843102298, 144pp, pb, £14.99).
James Woodward