This will include resources to help them cope with the grief and bereavement, and other challenges that they will have experienced due to Covid. She adds, ‘It would give a sense of hope and optimism by describing how some creative thinking and changing our reactions to a different response can make a huge difference to the carer and cared-for.’ Involve friends, family, befrienders, caregivers, allowing the contents of the box(es) to help spark conversations and help your care partner stay connected with others Our vision is to to create an internationally accredited, cutting-edge multimedia dementia care training platform with a care staff well-being hub, to promote well, resilient staff who will provide compassionate dementia care throughout Covid and beyond - and is AFFORDABLE for all care providers!

There are sections on how to face up to the situation post-diagnosis and make positive plans for the future; how to find ways to help you communicate well together; how to help someone you are caring for feel content and safe at home; gentle approaches to help you both feel rested; how good nutrition and hydration can provide balance in your lives; and new approaches to avoid distress.

Next steps

She has uncovered certain common features that help caregivers & the people they care for find better ways of coping. Andrea Nicholas Jones, Director Strategic Partnerships, Action for Elders, Wales Trustee & Chair of National Council, Hourglass (Action on Elder Abuse), Welsh Government Strategy for Older People Lead, British Irish Council Chair working group on Preventative Spend. "A Dementia diagnosis can be devastating for the individual and their family, however, with the right support, people can still live a productive and meaningful life. Critical for this is training for staff on how to enable the individual to maximise their wellbeing. This programme offers this and more and has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for anyone living with dementia. The care staff wellbeing hub will offer invaluable support to staff working in this challenging area." Develop other Finding the Light in Care training: for example, for people living with Parkinson’s disease, stroke and more. Through these resources , you will learn how to identify a person’s needs and work with their strengths. You will learn to care with confidence throughout all stages of the condition, as well as care for yourself. A great way to stay connected together with your loved one living with dementia is by creating a memory box. This will help you enjoy the present by exploring meaningful objects that reflect parts of your lives. It is also a good starting point to creating yours and your care partner’s life stories (Read Finding the Light in Dementia: A Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers for more information).

This training will be made affordable for all care providers through our Finding the Light in Dementia Care™ platform. This is an excellent guide for anyone who has a family member or friend suffering with dementia. Really helpful advice & explanations on why certain behaviours happen & how to deal / cope with them. The best bit about this book is it is easy to read – short chapters & clearly written with very little jargon, so it is very accessible. It’s also helpful to have sections for making notes about your own circumstances, the idea being that you have the day to day information to take to a doctor if needed. The book takes you through from initial diagnosis all the way to making the decision to look at residential care, and it truly does “find the light” in all stages of that journey. It is reassuring for someone who has little or no experience with dementia to know that as a carer they are not alone, as quotes & comments from real life people are included throughout. It is a very positive book & has real tips & techniques for dealing with the situation of having a loved one suffering from such a cruel disease. Sandra If or when care is no longer possible at home, there's advice, too, on choosing the right residential care. Jane Mullins' book is not published by a large, well-known publisher, so she says she has to work tirelessly to get this into the public domain.Janet feels the book was written with compassion for both the person with dementia and those supporting them. Developing a Suitcase of Memories, using multisensory reminiscence with couples to help them communicate and stay connected through my work as a Researcher at the Awen Institute, Swansea University

Remember memories and emotions are connected and people living with dementia can often remember the emotions associated with aspects of life more than the facts. Make sure you focus on positive memories while being mindful of yours and your partners possible painful memories that may come to the fore. As well as the training, they will be able to access a care staff wellbeing hub full of enjoyable resources, to help them care for themselves. The Book is filled with quotes from people who actually experience what it is like to live with Dementia and provides really useful emotional and practical advice to those who are Caring. Issues like creating a calm and safe environment, understanding sudden changes in behaviour and communication are so important and these are covered so well, along with many others. An assessment may also include recommending aids such as raised toilet seats and grab rails that will help if your loved one is struggling with mobility. Created in collaboration with Meri Yaadain to ensure training is culturally inclusive, accessible and relevant for all.If your partner/loved one has just received a diagnosis of dementia, you are probably both feeling scared and uncertain about what lies ahead. If you have children living at home there will be an added concern about how you and your partner’s roles as parents will change. Please consider writing a review for Finding the Light in Dementia, a Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers to help other people affected by the condition I also particularly liked the chapter ‘I am still me!’ about maintaining the person with dementia’s dignity and individuality.’ Compassion