In this issue:
Developing a specialist dementia care role in homecare
Our dedicated dementia care recruitment website
Positive Spin: a cycling community of people with dementia, families and friends
Home Care
Newton C et al (2024) Using science illustration to aid co-production in developing a specialist dementia care role in homecare. Journal of Dementia Care 32(2)31-34. In this first of two articles on their social research study, Christina Newton and colleagues describe a co-production workshop where all involved—people living with dementia, family carers, homecare managers, workers ... Read more
Arts
Music in Mind: celebrating ten years of growth
Dowlen R et al (2024) Music in Mind: celebrating ten years of growth. Journal of Dementia Care 32(2)26-30. Robyn Dowlen and colleagues describe the partnership between Manchester Camerata’s Music in Mind programme for people living with dementia and the University of Manchester. Over ten years it has grown to encompass live improvised music-making sessions, interdisciplinary ... Read more
Positive Spin: the transformative power of cycling for everyone
Morris C (2024) Positive Spin: the transformative power of cycling for everyone. Journal of Dementia Care 32(2)20-23 Positive Spin is a cycling community of people with dementia, their families and friends. Clare Morris describes how it developed, the benefits it brings, and the inspiring launch event held in London last autumn. Clare Morris is the ... Read more
Obituary
31 January 1956 – 22 February 2024 Hare P (2024) Wendy Mitchell, 31 January 1956-22 February 2024. Journal of Dementia Care 32(2) 12-13. Dr Wendy Mitchell BEM, campaigner, educator and best-selling author, has died aged 68, after living with dementia for almost a decade. Her long-standing friend Philly Hare pays tribute to an exceptional person ... Read more
Winter Warmers: a project to address fuel poverty
Rowley J (2024) Winter Warmers: a project to address fuel poverty. Journal of Dementia Care 32(2)24-25 Members of Trent Dementia ran a collaborative project to trial, source and provide items to help members and their families keep warm through the winter months. Jane Rowley describes how the project was planned and implemented Dr Jane Rowley ... Read more
Access to dementia health care by ethnic elders in Leicester
Subramaniam H (2024) Access to dementia health care by ethnic elders in Leicester. Journal of Dementia Care 32(2)35-38. It is commonly accepted that access to dementia care services by minority ethnic populations in the UK is poor. In Leicester however, ethnic populations are significant and growing, and studies show that clinical services see the same ... Read more
Guidelines
New guidelines on better writing Steve Milton introduces a new accessible writing guide from Innovations in Dementia We’ve never had so much information. It’s coming at us from all sides, from our handheld devices to our computer screens, and still occasionally through our letterboxes. It screams at us from billboards, from adverts on public transport ... Read more
Staff Development
Announcing our dedicated dementia care recruitment website
Our charity, Dementia Community, is delighted to announce the launch of a dedicated dementia care jobs and opportunities website. Initially our focus will be on the recruitment of middle to senior dementia care staff for the care home sector and academic markets. As we establish the site we will move on to the retirement housing, ... Read more
Book Review
LGBTQ+ People and Dementia: A Good Practice Guide Sue Westwood and Elizabeth Price,Jessica Kingsley Publishers,ISBN 9781839973307 £16.99 This slim volume, one of the University of Bradford Dementia Good Practice Guides, is packed full of information, insights and helpful guidance. The book explains the particular challenges for LGBTQ+ people who are affected by dementia and why ... Read more
Opinion
Recruitment and retention of staff is a burning issue in dementia care services. What are the best ways to find and keep exceptional staff working for your organisation? Emma Hewat, Head of Dementia, KYN There are an unprecedented five generations in the workforce today from Traditionalists and Baby Boomers through to Generations X, Y and ... Read more
Comment/Opinion
By Dr Richard Hawkins, Editor-in-chief, Journal of Dementia Care People are the rock upon which all organisations are built. The right people will enable almost every organisation, however badly structured, to succeed whereas however well structured an organisation is, without the right people it will struggle. But who are the right people? The point which ... Read more
Lived Experience
At the time of writing, it has been just over a week since we learned the sad news of Wendy Mitchell’s death. An award-winning writer of books, blogs, a consummate adventurer in all senses, Wendy was a beacon for an enormous number of people. So this edition of the Dementia Diaries column is dedicated to ... Read more
Research
Detecting dementia: comparison of tools Involving 706 participants with mild cognitive impairment or probable mild Alzheimer’s disease, this study identified that the Digital Clock and Recall method (DCR™) was superior on average to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in classifying mild cognitive impairment and early dementia. DCR administration was also significantly faster (completed in less ... Read more