The Family Experience of Dementia

How practitioners can support the family and friends of people with dementia through the diagnostic process and beyond

Dementia doesn't just affect the person with the diagnosis, but their family and friends too. This book provides practitioners with strategies to support families living with dementia pre- to post-diagnosis, using the story of a family and based on research throughout to help practitioners understand the lived experiences of everyone involved.

Dementia not only affects the person presented with the diagnosis, but their family and friends too. This book provides practitioners with strategies to support the whole family and understand their dementia journey both pre- and post-diagnosis. This is facilitated through a series of activities and reflective prompts. There is also a dedicated chapter offering structured exercises for health and social care practitioners and students.

The book introduces the Lawrence family, where Peter has been diagnosed with dementia, and provides perspectives from each family member, allowing practitioners to become acquainted with the lived experience of everyone involved. The reflective questions allow readers to become actively engaged to maximise their knowledge and understanding, and to better contextualize what the dementia experience feels like for family and friends.

With its focus on the all-important lived experience of the whole family during the diagnostic process and beyond, this is essential reading for any practitioner working with people with dementia.