Understanding Behaviour in Dementia that Challenges: A Guide to Assessment and Treatment (Paperback)

This practical book provides a thorough look at the stages of assessment and treatment of people with dementia with behaviour that presents challenges to clients and carers, and is delivered in a clear, step-by-step and easy to follow manner. With years of valuable experience and a reputation in the area, James' work serves as an insightful illustration of how to establish and manage a service dedicated to improving dementia care... This is a thorough and practical handbook that would be thumbed through on a regular basis within any dementia care setting. It presents a person and carer centred approach, useful even with clients with severe dementia, suggesting individualised alternatives for appropriate assessment and intervention. (...) while the themes are not easy the books are written in an engaging style which helps the reader to a greater understanding of what can be done by carers and how, through these interventions, it is possible to enhance the well-being of those with dementia. Understanding Behaviour in Dementia that Challenges comes from Jessica Kingsley, a prolific publisher of mental health-related books. It contains a succinct chapter on the use of psychotropic medication to control such behaviours, but the primary focus is on non-pharmacological approaches, using examples and cases from the author's work at the Newcastle Challenging Behaviour Service. The descriptions of the ways in which care home staff, family members, and patients themselves are brought together to bring about more acceptable behaviour are sensible, and the case studies seem convincing.

*Highly Commended in the Health and Social Care category of the 2012 BMA Medical Book Awards*

'This book examines the different categories and causes of challenging behaviour in people with dementia. It provides theory and practical guidance on the assessment and treatment of challenging behaviour, with a particular emphasis on non-pharmacological approaches.'

Ian Andrew James has combined knowledge and extensive practice to provide a systematic first line alternative to the use of antipsychotics. For practitioners struggling to find ways of alleviating distress in people with dementia, this scholarly book, with its bio-psychosocial framework and rich tapestry of case material, is a "must". ...an invaluable tool for people working in residential care services as well as commissioners and government employees. Several conceptual models are discussed within the book, each covering a slightly different aspect of care and having different functions. The feature that links them all is that they have attempted to provide an understanding of people's experience of dementia... Armed with such understanding, carers find it easier to focus on the person rather than on the behaviour... This short but informative volume is highly recommended.