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Understanding Dementia provides a broad overview of how brain function can be significantly disrupted by dementia and how changed brain functioning can produce many of the symptoms and behaviours that typically occur in dementia.

• A detailed account of the main divisions of the brain and an overview of the functions of the temporal, parietal and frontal lobes of the brain is provided.

• Through the careful use of three-dimensional graphics, it traces the way in which Alzheimer's Disease first presents in the individual and spreads through different parts of the brain.

• Distinctions are made between short term and long- term memory and between episodic and semantic memory.

Understanding Challenging Behaviours explores in much greater depth different behaviours such as wandering, repetitive questioning and agitation/aggression - the type of behaviours we know can cause caregivers strain and which not infrequently result in people with a dementia being admitted to long term care.

• A conceptual model is provided which may be useful to help practitioners and family caregivers better understand the root cause of these behaviours. Through the clever use of vignettes, different strategies to help address some of these challenging behaviours are demonstrated.

• The point is made that whilst the interventions covered in the programme may not work in every case, knowing the person and his or her life story is critical to best practice in dementia care and that drugs should only ever be considered when all other interventions and options are exhausted.

Dementia: A positive guide provides you with material gathered over time from practitioners, and carers, which draws on a wide range of ideas you can utilize as you ‘up skill’ and ‘empower’ family members and carers in their care giving role. The manual also contains exercises, so you and others can engage in active learning.