This book offers an accessible and sympathetic introduction for relatives, carers and professionals looking after or training to work with people with dementia. Drawing on the two `laws of dementia', the author explains the causes of communication problems, mood disturbances and `deviant' behaviours. PREFACE 9(4) 1 What is dementia? 13(8) Introduction 13(2) Dementia in many forms 15(4) Prevalence 19(1) Causes 19(2) 2 The simple logic behind dementia 21(30) Introduction 21(1) How we remember 21(4) The first law of dementia: disturbed encoding 25(10) The second law of dementia: the roll-back memory 35(16) 3 The experience of dementia 51(24) Introduction 51(1) How can we know how someone is experiencing dementia? 52(2) The preliminary phase 54(1) The need-for-supervision phase 55(8) The need-for-care phase 63(8) The need-for-nursing-care phase 71(4) 4 Communication 75(16) Introduction 75(2) Communication in the three phases of dementia 77(2) Basic attitude 79(1) Verbal communication 80(4) Non-verbal communication 84(2) Insight into the past 86(1) Focus on feelings 87(1) When talking is no longer possible 88(3) 5 Mood problems: Aggression, depressiveness and suspiciousness 91(22) Introduction 91(1) Aggression 91(9) Depressiveness 100(6) Suspiciousness 106(7) 6 Behaviour problems: Clinging behaviour, wandering and nocturnal restlessness 113(18) Introduction 113(1) Clinging behaviour: 'He follows me around like a shadow' 113(4) Wandering 117(7) Nocturnal restlessness 124(7) 7 Management guidelines and activities 131(12) Introduction 131(1) Management guidelines 131(8) Activities 139(4) 8 The family: The hidden victims 143(14) Introduction 143(1) Common problems 143(7) Self-care: the basis of caring for a partner or relative 150(7) 9 Feelings of guilt 157(14) Introduction 157(1) Guilt after hearing the diagnosis 157(2) It is never enough 159(2) Admission to a nursing home 161(5) The psychological meaning 166(1) Past guilt - paying off the debt 167(1) Handling feelings of guilt 167(4) REFERENCES 171(2) SUBJECT INDEX 173(3) AUTHOR INDEX 176