Living Well with Dementia Course

Richard Cheston is Professor of Dementia Research at the University of the West of England. Between 1998 and 2012, he worked as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with Avon and Wilts NHS Partnership Trust. He is also an Honorary Senior Research Fellow, RICE Memory Clinic.Ann Marshall is Consultant Clinical Psychologist. She qualified at the Institute of Psychiatry, London in 1981 and between 1988 and 2018 worked in NHS Older People’s Mental Health services in Hampshire and as an honorary tutor at Southampton University.

"This book is so much more than a workbook for running a course! 'Living Well with Dementia' is a phrase that has become very over-used in recent years. Whilst it is a great aim, many people struggle with how to achieve living well on a practical level. Richard Cheston and Ann Marshall have been helping people to adjust to the changes that dementia brings for many years. It is full of their wisdom. It will be a go-to resource for those with lots of knowledge about dementia but who feel less sure about how to use counselling skills to help people adjust emotionally. Likewise, it will be very helpful to those who may feel confident in their counselling skills but who do not know how to apply these to support those living with dementia. I highly recommend this book." Professor Dawn Brooker, Director of the Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester"I wholeheartedly commend this comprehensive guide to those seeking to deliver or draw extra benefit from this Living Well with Dementia course. As someone who has tried to live well with dementia for eight years, I know how beneficial it would have been to me. After diagnosis, my wife and I attended two afternoons designed to lead us away from the 'cliff edge' to which I was clinging; I am totally convinced that this would have been far more successful had this excellent guide been available at that time." Keith Oliver, Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador and 3 Nations Dementia Working Group"The emotional impact of developing dementia is immense, and without support many people struggle to adjust. The Living Well with Dementia course is unique in its focus on enabling people with dementia to reflect and share their experiences and find a way to talk about and accept what is happening. In this accessible guide, Rik Cheston and Ann Marshall provide a session-by-session outline for course facilitators, supported by in-session activities and handouts, practical tips on how to plan, prepare and run the course, and advice on training and supervision. This is a ‘must read’ for anyone involved in supporting people living with mild to moderate dementia." Professor Linda Clare, University of Exeter

• Preface Acknowledgements 1. Introduction to the Living Well with Dementia course 2. Setting up and leading a Living Well with Dementia course 3. Preliminary meeting for participants and partners 4. Session 1: Is there anything wrong with me? 5. Session 2: Memory aids and strategies 6. Session 3: Worry, stress and memory 7. Session 4: Finding a way through feelings 8. Session 5: Relationships – to tell or not to tell? 9. Session 6: What is dementia? 10. Session 7: Living as well as you can 11. Session 8: Staying active 12. Post-group session: Bringing it all together Further Reading Appendix: Handouts for sessions