Dementia: The Basics

Dementia: The Basics provides the reader with a clear and compassionate introduction to dementia and an accessible guide to dealing with different parts of the dementia journey, from pre-diagnosis and diagnosis to post-diagnostic support, increasing care needs and end of life care.

Co-authored by an academic, a person living with dementia and a family carer, the book endeavours to raise awareness of dementia, challenge stereotypical and negative ideas about what it means to have dementia and champion a society where people living with dementia can be active as they wish for as long as possible. The authors present an overview of current research at each step of the dementia journey as well as including knowledge from lived experience, enhancing understanding and challenging thinking about what it might be like to live with a diagnosis or to care for a loved one. As a whole, the book emphasises the importance of prioritising the person living with dementia, as well as considering the impact of what any initiative or action might mean for them, their families and their care supporters.

Offering both an accessible introduction to dementia and practical tools, this book will be ideal for health and social care professionals, students of social care, health care and nursing, people with dementia, carers and anyone wanting to understand more about the condition.

Anthea Innes is Professor of Dementia and Coles-Medlock Director of the Salford Institute for Dementia, University of Salford, UK. She is a social scientist who has specialised in dementia research for around 25 years across the care spectrum, that is pre-diagnosis to end of life.

Lesley Calvert lives with Alzheimer Disease and is an Associate at the Salford Institute for Dementia. She is a member of the Greater Manchester Dementia Champion group and a facilitator at the Open Doors Network in Salford; she is also part of the UK 3 Nations Working Group.

Gail Bowker is a Dementia Associate panel member at the Salford Institute for Dementia. She is an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Champion and a Salford Dementia Champion. She is a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority working with the Northern Care Alliance and Dementia United. She is a member of the Carers Strategy Steering Group and a Member of the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust - Older Persons Forum.