"Rik Cheston is one of the pioneers of psychotherapy in dementia. This book integrates his clinical expertise and research, and is brought vividly to life by Rik's personal reflections and case examples drawn from his vast experience [...] this book will be one that I keep coming back to and share." Dr Emma Wolverson, Clinical Psychologist, Senior Lecturer in Ageing and Dementia, Research Lead Dementia, UK "This is a thoughtful and, at times, provocative book, providing knowledge and insights from theoretical and practical perspectives [...] Cheston has set out to challenge you; which he does extremely well." Professor Ian Andrew James, Innovations Team, CNTW NHS Trust and honorary professor at the University of Bradford, UK "In this brilliant and timely book, Richard Cheston [...] draws upon [...] over 30 years of insightful clinical practice to discuss not only psychotherapy but a whole lot more. The book is lucidly written so can be valuable not only to specialists but to anyone whose work or personal life brings them into contact with dementia. Actually, that's most of us." Tom Dening, Professor of Dementia Research, Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, University of Nottingham, UK "The author joins the dots between scientific understanding, clinical practice and lived experience in a consummate, compassionate way, resulting in a book that is a 'must read'. Everyone involved in delivering psychotherapeutic care to those living with dementia should have it on their shelf." Jan R Oyebode, Professor of Dementia Care, Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, University of Bradford, UK "This is a clear, accessible and beautifully written legacy of psychotherapeutic endeavour in dementia care [...] This book is a seminal text for all who are committed to continually improving their practice in person-centred dementia care." Esme Moniz-Cook Professor Emerita (Clinical Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Care), University of Hull, UK. Founder Chair, now board member INTERDEM. There is little opportunity for people living with dementia to talk about their experiences and what is happening to them. This often makes it harder for them to adjust to, and to accept, the diagnosis. Dementia and Psychotherapy Reconsidered introduces a new and distinctive way of thinking about dementia. Each of the four sections is augmented with examples from the author's 30 years of clinical and research experience and offers an accessible approach from mainstream psychotherapeutic and psychological frameworks that: * Places dementia into a psychological context of loss, threat and change * Addresses the research and clinical evidence underpinning psychotherapy; whether this is delivered to individuals, couples or groups * Sets out a model of adjustment to dementia and outlines how talking about dementia needs to be tailored to the stage of change * Explores how psychotherapy and counselling can be adapted to accommodate the client's cognitive changes and why we need to acknowledge that talking about dementia is not always possible or desirable Dementia and Psychotherapy Reconsidered is applicable not only to psychotherapists and counsellors, but to clinicians and families who are supporting people living with dementia post-diagnosis and want to find new ways of talking about their experiences. The dementia field has developed rapidly in its scope and practice over the past 10 years, the Reconsidering Dementia Series is a unique and innovative series published by Open University Press applicable to all audiences. Series Editors: Keith Oliver and Dawn Brooker. Richard Cheston worked as a Clinical Psychologist in the NHS before becoming Professor of Dementia Research at the University of the West of England,

The Living Well with Dementia Course: A Workbook for Facilitators will be an indispensable guide to providing support to people after they have received a dementia diagnosis. The workbook provides facilitators with a realistic but positive approach to helping people with dementia understand and adjust to their condition, helping them to live as well as possible. This workbook outlines the Living Well with Dementia course, a post-diagnostic course for people who have recently received a diagnosis of dementia. Its session-by-session structure, along with e-resources including handouts for course participants, will help facilitators provide a realistic but positive approach to support after a diagnosis. Aimed at facilitators, and drawing on the authors' many years of clinical and research experience, The Living Well with Dementia Course workbook will be of great assistance to healthcare professionals and support workers in many different settings, including specialist NHS dementia services, primary care services and the voluntary and community sector.

The Living Well with Dementia Course: A Workbook for Facilitators will be an indispensable guide to providing support to people after they have received a dementia diagnosis. The workbook provides facilitators with a realistic but positive approach to helping people with dementia understand and adjust to their condition, helping them to live as well as possible. This workbook outlines the Living Well with Dementia course, a post-diagnostic course for people who have recently received a diagnosis of dementia. Its session-by-session structure, along with e-resources including handouts for course participants, will help facilitators provide a realistic but positive approach to support after a diagnosis. Aimed at facilitators, and drawing on the authors' many years of clinical and research experience, The Living Well with Dementia Course workbook will be of great assistance to healthcare professionals and support workers in many different settings, including specialist NHS dementia services, primary care services and the voluntary and community sector.

This book explores how dementia acts as an existential threat, both to people diagnosed with the condition, and to their carers. The authors highlight how dementia not only gradually erodes our most fundamental abilities, but that it does so at a time of life when the resources of individuals, couples, and families are already stretched. While over time many people who are living with dementia are able to adapt to their diagnosis and acknowledge its impact on them, for many others it remains too threatening and painful to do this. The book draws on examples from clinical practice and experimental studies to argue that a range of responses, such as searching for long-dead parents or clinging to previous identities, all represent ways in which people living with dementia attempt to protect themselves against the emotional impact of the condition. Finally, the authors set out new ways of intervening to boost psychological resources and thereby support people in facing the existential threat of dementia.

Understanding Dementia develops an integrated model of dementia which is based on social, political and psychological factors and, above all, which is person centered, focusing on the importance of the experience and emotions of the person with dementia. It brings together ideas on dementia from social and clinical psychology, psychotherapy and linguistics, and outlines the key theoretical issues and practical concerns in this expanding and significant field.

Part 1 compares existing models of dementia, stressing the limitations of the organic model. The social model of dementia is also considered, in particular how it helps in understanding and changing therapists' often negative attitudes to older people with dementia. Part 2 describes Cheston and Bender's integrated socio-psychological model which combines the person-centered model and the social model and emphasizes the emotions, social context and sense of identity of the person with dementia. It focuses on the potential of carers to support sufferers' own understanding of the process they are engaging in. The penultimate part of the book shows how this model can be applied to improve the quality of assessments of dementia, and suggests ways of adapting therapeutic intervention (in individual and group counseling, psychotherapy, staff training, and work with carers) to meet the specific needs of this group. In conclusion, the authors draw out implications for' service delivery and future policy and practice developments.

Understanding Dementia provides a powerful integrated and holistic model of dementia which will enable professionals, policy makers and academics to improve the quality of care for dementia sufferers.