Storytelling as a tool for person-led demetnia care
Lunchtime Sessions 1
17 November, 2026 1:20 – 2:05 pmElectronic Posters
Martha Pusey
Research Associate
University of Portsmouth
Summary
The presentation explores the importance of personal stories in delivering person-led care, for people living with dementia. Stories provide a powerful way to understand the individual beyond a diagnosis, care plan, age, or perceived limitations. By listening to and valuing life experiences, care professionals can gain deeper insight into a person’s identity, values, relationships, preferences, and emotional needs.
The session examines how stories can preserve dignity, strengthen connections, and support meaningful engagement for people living with dementia. Participants will explore how repeated stories may reveal underlying feelings, emotions, and unmet needs, and how these can be interpreted using Kitwood’s Flower of Needs and the Dementia Equation. This is an interactive session that allows participants to listen to a story of a person with dementia to learn more about their values and how this can be applied to planning their care. Participants will then have the opportunity to share a short story about their own life that can be developed into a care plan.
The presentation reinforces three key principles: start with the person, not the problem; remain curious about what makes each individual unique; and continually ask, “What matters most to you right now?” By embedding personal stories into everyday practice, care professionals can promote dignity, enhance wellbeing, and deliver care that truly reflects what matters to the people they support.