A Creative Toolkit for Communication in Dementia Care

Book excerpt: How can carers and relatives support a person's identity, relationships and emotional wellbeing through changes that occur in the later stages of dementia? Drawing on over ten years' experience of working with people with dementia, Karrie Marshall provides a toolkit of tried and tested creative activities to support communication and relationships. Activities are vast and varied, with outdoor activities such as bird-watching and star-gazing aimed at supporting physical health, artistic activities such as collage creation to support identity, and musical activities such as sounds and voice warm-ups to support self-expression. Marshall also sensitively covers end of life care for people with dementia, explaining how emotional support can be provided through gentle breathing activities and even puppetry, as well as covering the legal importance of power of attorney.