Product Description

Dementia is a little understood and currently incurable illness, but much can be done to maximise the quality of life for people with the condition. "Contented Dementia" - by clinical psychologist and bestselling author Oliver James - outlines a groundbreaking and practical method for managing dementia that will allow both sufferer and carer to maintain the highest possible quality of life, throughout every stage of the illness. A person with dementia will experience random and increasingly frequent memory blanks relating to recent events. Feelings, however, remain intact, as do memories of past events and both can be used in a special way to substitute for more recent information that has been lost.The SPECAL method (Specialized Early Care for Alzheimer's) outlined in this book works by creating links between past memories and the routine activities of daily life in the present. Drawing on real-life examples and user-friendly tried-and-tested methods, "Contented Dementia" provides essential information and guidance for carers, relatives and professionals.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #83878 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Review
[I] can confirm that anyone who wants help in caring for the condition will find this excellent work a revelation
--Bel Mooney, Mail on Saturday

Review
'distinguished psychologist Oliver James [...] shows that dementia need not be a nightmare of frustration and embarrassment'

About the Author
Oliver James trained and practised as a clinical child psychologist and, since 1988, has worked as a writer, journalist, broadcaster and television documentary producer and presenter. He is a trustee of the Alzheimer's charity, SPECAL (Specialized Early Care for Alzheimer's) and lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and two small children.

Customer Reviews

I do so wish ......
I do so wish that Penny Garner and Oliver James had produced this book 20 years ago. I was involved in caring for people with dementia over an 18 year period and, had SPECAL been around,I could have eased them through their dementia instead of just managing their anguish. I did adopt some SPECAL strategies instinctively even though the were in total opposition to all the training I'd had in the past .... and it worked. I'm now involved in training carers/support workers and fully intend to promote the SPECAL approach.
The book is easy to read, very understandable, make perfect sense and in no way did I feel it was patronising. Read it for yourself, try it for yourself and make your own judgement.

A CARE MODEL WHICH ENABLES RATHER THAN DISABLES
this is a very innovative and interesting concept that ensures the biggest burden for an individual with dementia, THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH to caring is not used,tasks such as making beds washing laundry and cleaning floors should not the most important roles of a carer, the individual and what is important to them should. In this book Penny gives the carer food for thought in that she offers an alternative by allowing the individual with dementia to remain in control of what they feel are important to them and therefore as the book's title they are content. Superb use of exercises for the carer to practice using the 'golden rules' such as not asking questions, not quite as easy as it sounds. I found this book a breath of fresh air in an area of care that does suffer from being at the back of the queue so to speak with regard to assisting the carer in there totally demanding role

can transform some situations
Practical, helpful, sensitive, comforting, illuminating, brilliant, constructive - yes, it is all that, and more. Don't take (too much) notice of the negative reviewers as you really shouldn't miss this book. Infused with compassion and kindness (RARE qualities these days), the advice was developed by someone who clearly has a talent for non-confrontation and small talk, both of which it is wise to learn early on in your loved one's journey of confusion. Whether it is called dementia, alzheimer, memory loss, forgetfulness doesn't matter to those of us who are in pain watching our loved one deteriorate and struggle with their new and unfamiliar circumstances, and who want to find ways to make it hurt less - for them as well as ourselves.

This refreshingly positive book immediately takes away a lot of the suffering, and the judgments, for both "sides", at least in the earlier stages. We cannot (yet) speak about later stages but we feel SO different about the situation after reading this book - we've now read a great deal about memory matters and can vouch for the fact that no "expert" in clinical practice has made anything like the kinds of loving and caring PRACTICAL suggestions and procedures spelled out in this book, which we started putting into practice immediately. So what if it seems like "infantilising" the sufferer, who in our experience certainly did not feel we were doing this but who immediately brightened up and was much happier with our new approach.

Unfortunately, there are some situations even this book cannot help us with - how do you deal with an elderly person who is very upset - every single evening - because mother (dead 50 years) is late for supper and who won't accept any of the excuses you dream up?

As indicated in real-life stories given in the book, we also have noticed (from carers sharing stories at support groups) that the sufferer's partner is likely to find it very difficult to accept what is happening or to readily adopt the methods set out in this book. It IS hard to change the relationship habits of a long lifetime and the carer-partner is likely to have health challenges as well, which can make things even more difficult. The book is as much for them as for the direct victim of this horrible, slow-acting plague.

SPECAL, as the method is called, can transform (and has actually done so) some of the experiences of the dementia sufferer and of those around him/her.