Positive Psychology Approaches to Dementia

John Killick has been the Writer in Residence and Poet Mentor on several Poetry and Dementia projects over the last 25 years. He currently runs a residential Poetry and Dementia course in Wales. Christine Bryden has worked in the pharmaceutical industry and as a senior executive in the Australian Prime Minister's Department. Following her diagnosis with Alzheimer's Disease in 1995, she has been instrumental in setting up local support groups for people with dementia and has addressed national and international conferences. In 2003 she was the first person with dementia to be elected to the Board of Alzheimer's Disease International. Her first book Who will I be when I die? was published in 1998 and has been translated into several languages. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.

In this brilliant benchmark work, the insights of Positive Psychology are finally examined in the lives of those who experience dementia. Positive Psychology focuses on a set of character strengths that contribute to human flourishing, but it has never been applied to deeply forgetful people. Herein we find chapters that for the first time carefully examine the experience of dementia with regard to well-being, hope, humor, creativity, resilience, spirituality and wisdom. No, this is above all NOT in the least bit pollyannaish. People with dementia really do draw on these strengths as they navigate their predicament, and they do so surprisingly deep into their illness. Building on the tradition of Tom Kitwood, Steven Sabat, and myself, this book shows us with unmistakable clarity and good science that there is a deeper and more hopeful way of looking at the person underneath dementia that we often miss. This book is a work of genius. All who care about the dignity of deeply forgetful people should read with excitement! I can assure the reader that this is a bold, necessary and compelling new pathway for future research and for sensitive caring. Bravo on a well-researched field-creating book!

• Foreword by Christine Bryden. Preface. 1. Ageing, Health and Positive Psychology. Elspeth Stirling, Clinical Psychologist, UK. 2. A Positive Psychology Approach to Dementia. Dr Chris Clarke, Research Tutor, Department of Psychological Health and Wellbeing, University of Hull, UK, Dr Emma Wolverson, Academic and Research Tutor, Department of Psychological Health and Wellbeing, University of Hull and Professor Esme Moniz-Cook, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Center of Dementia Research and Practice, University of Hull. 3. Wellbeing in Dementia. Dr Alison Phinney, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Canada. 4. Hope and Dementia. Emma Wolverson and Chris Clarke. 5. Humour and Dementi. Chris Clarke and Helen Irwin, University of Hull. 6. Resilience and Living Well with Dementia. Phyllis Brady Harris, Ph.D., Professor and Chairperson, Department of Sociology, Director of Aging Studies, John Carroll University, USA. 7. Growth. Emma Wolverson and Kirsty M. Patterson, University of Hull. 8. Creativity and Dementia. John Killick. 9. Spirituality and Wisdom. Andrew Norris and Professor Bob Woods, Director, Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), Bangor University, UK. 10. Positive Psychology and Relational Dementia Care: Creating an 'Enriched Environment'. Tony Ryan and Mike Nolan. 11. Positive Experiences in Dementia Caregiving. Dr Catherine Quinn, REACH: The Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UK. Index.