Abstract
The first edition of this excellent collection of essays on dementia care was published in 2008. It became a core text on reading lists on dementia studies courses and was a “must-read” for those involved in the care and support of people living with dementia. The strengths of the book resided in the quality and breadth of contributions and its direct connection with care practice. It was also an effective introduction to the work of many key experts in the field, and wet the appetite to explore their other works. The second edition has been eagerly anticipated.
There have been seismic shifts in world of dementia since the original publication. These are highlighted in the introduction to this second edition: the political commitment to dementia, which has taken place on a global scale; the rise in the public prominence of people living with dementia and the belated recognition of the diversity of the experience of people living with dementia. The second edition sets aims for these to form the key contexts for the book. It succeeds in this aim and does so whilst retaining the person-centered ethos that was a strength of the first edition.
The tone is set in this edition from the outset with a preface by Daphne Wallace and Barbara Woodward-Carlton who are able to offer their perspectives of living with dementia and caring for a close relative with dementia, respectively. The first edition consisted of 28 chapters from renowned experts, several do not make the second edition but nine new chapters are added. The second edition now comprises of 30 chapters themed around: the context of dementia care; conceptualizing dementia care; best practice dementia care for the person; care pathways and finally, making sustainable change happen in dementia care (changing the culture of care).
The changes made to existing chapters and the new chapters effectively bring the book up to date and re-establish this as the key text for all those interested in supporting, empowering and enabling people who are living with dementia. I was particularly pleased to see new contributions by the likes of Pia Kontos on selfhood and the body, Hannah Zeilig on representations of dementia in the media, and – focusing on recent developments – there is an interesting chapter on dementia-friendly communities by Cathy Henwood and Murna Downs.
The title Excellence in Dementia Care is perhaps a little misleading. Care practice remains central, but the new chapters and re-focusing of the book quite rightly address issues that go beyond “care” and explore broader concerns such as empowerment, public health, representations of dementia, arts and communities.
The changes to this key text not only make this a must-read for all those who have an interest in enabling, supporting and caring for people living with dementia and who are unfamiliar with the first edition; but arguably, also for those who already possess the first edition.