Memories in the Making is a program that features the art work of people living with Alzheimer's disease, using their art and often their few remaining words to share what is currently in their thoughts. This book dispels the common misconception that individuals with dementia are lost forever. Instead, we learn by reading their compelling stories and viewing their accompanying art, that they are still here, only in a different way.
Although recognition of reminiscing as a potentially adaptive process can be traced back over 30 years to the seminal work of Robert Butler as discussed in the Foreword, there has been little effort to consolidate the work and paint a complete picture of reminiscing as an entity. Here, reminiscing is presented as a multi-disciplinary topic, examining the theory of, and research on, reminiscing. The book also discusses the different ways of conducting life-review interviews and explores therapeutic applications.; Contributors to this book, many of whom are pioneers and leading figures in the field, discuss and elaborate their latest thinking and research findings from multiple perspectives. The volume's strength derives from its multi-disciplinary nursing, psychiatry, psychology, gerontology, community advocacy and multinational Australia, Canada, England, Sweden and the United States treatment. James Birren, Irene Burnside, and Phillipe Cappeliez are a few of the eminent scholars authoring this volume.
"The Oxford Handbook of Geropsychology provides students and experienced clinicians and clinical researchers alike with a comprehensive and contemporary overview of developments in the field of geropsychology. Informed by an international perspective, the introductory section covers demographics, meta-analyses in geropsychology, social capital and gender, cognitive development, and ageing. Sections on assessment and formulation include chapters on interviewing older people, psychological assessment strategies, capacity and suicidal ideation, and understanding long term care environments. Psychological distress and their causes are reviewed with chapters focusing upon late-life depression and anxiety, psychosis, and personality disorders. In this section, neuropsychiatric approaches to working with older people and risk factors relating to cognitive health are reviewed. Intervention strategies covered include cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and family therapy. Interprofessional teamwork and aspects of work with persons with dementia (PwD), caregivers, and care staff, are also covered. Chapters on interventions address specific populations such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older persons, people with physical and psychological comorbidities, and those experiencing grief and bereavement. Finally, this Handbook explores new horizons, including positive ageing, exercise and health promotion, and the use of new media such as online and virtual reality interactive technologies in clinical research and practice with older adults." -- From the Amazon
Art and the therapeutic uses of art provide older adults with valuable ways in which to express and share their feelings, needs and fears, and with a resource for coping with life's major changes. This practical book is filled with step-by-step exercises for art therapists and other professionals to use in work with older adults, either individually or in groups. The author provides brief, imaginative warm-ups, which encourage participants to become more at ease expressing themselves creatively. She offers ideas for engaging and innovative creative projects across a range of media, including art, music, movement, poetry and creative writing, all of which can be adapted, personalised or combined to meet the particular needs of individual participants. Points to consider when working with this client group are explored, and case study examples, with participants' artwork, are included throughout. Appropriate for use with all relatively able older adults, including those with depression, anxiety or in the early stages of dementia, this will be an invaluable tool for art therapists as well as counsellors, psychotherapists, social workers and carers.
With a key theme for every week of the year, this resource contains extended multi-sensory reminiscence group session plans for older adults. Written by experienced occupational therapists, it provides detailed session plans for running successful and therapeutically-valuable activities within group sessions, from remembering school days to celebrating the natural wonders of the British Isles. Each plan has been developed to be suitable for people with a variety of abilities, including for those with dementia, and help to support memory, sensory function, confidence, communication, connection, as well as overall physical and emotional wellbeing. Activities range from cognitive activities such as word games, food tasting, music and poetry to group discussions. Session plans are accompanied by downloadable colour photographs and word cards to be used as tools for discussion.
Introducing life story work, a way for people with dementia to connect with their relatives, carers and the professionals working with them. This evidence-based book explains the many benefits of life story work, with practical guidance for introducing it in a variety of settings. The authors show how life story work can empower people with dementia to inform care practitioners and family members what care and support they may need now and in the future, by taking into account their past and their future wishes and aspirations. The book includes practical information on how to get started, ethical considerations such as consent and confidentiality, and considers issues of diversity and how to address them. The voices of practitioners, researchers and family carers sit alongside those of people living with dementia to present a wide-range of perspectives on life story work.
"[A]s recently as fifty years ago people believed that reminiscing was a sign of senility....Today, along with a greater understanding of the significance of reminiscence we have seen the rising popularity of private memoirs in various forms, from oral histories by universities to audio and videotapes for family archives. John A. Kunz and Florence Gray Soltys have made a major contribution to the field by providing a framework for individuals and groups engaged in this enriching and important work." --Robert N. Butler, MD Finally, a book that takes a "big picture" look at the complexities of using life story work with older adults. Using the life story matrix as a framework, the authors and their contributors cover the complexities of reminiscence and life review, techniques and advice for making a personal story public, and the delicate balance of when to focus on content and when the process of telling one's life story can be therapeutic or destructive. Transformational Reminiscence teaches the reader how to use the full spectrum of life story approaches to enhance quality of life for older adults, ameliorate social and psychological problems, and intervene if they occur. Practical applications, anecdotes, exercises that help clarify the experiential side of the content, and helpful suggestions enhance each chapter and ensure a safe and ethical application of this technique. This book is a must read for anyone who uses a life story approach in his or her work with older adults or is teaching or supervising others in doing so.
Reminiscence is a vital way to stimulate communication and promote confidence and self-worth in people with dementia. This practical guide is designed to give those who care for people with dementia a clear sense of how reminiscence can be used to greatly improve their quality of life. The book explores how reminiscence can contribute to person-centred dementia care and contains detailed descriptions of activities that can be used in a group setting, for one-to-one reminiscence at home or in a variety of care settings. Based on ideas developed and tested internationally over a period of ten years, the book offers imaginative approaches to reminiscence and a wealth of resources for use in a wide range of situations. The book includes advice on organising a reminiscence project and provides a useful planning tool for group sessions. Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today highlights the value of reminiscence for those with dementia and is an essential guide to good practice for family and professional carers.
