Dr Elizabeth Milwain, Freelance Psychologist specialising in Later Life

ANNUAL COST RESEARCH FUNDING






Research investment has increased significantly
Public profile of dementia is also rising
Increasing number of reports, policies and other drivers
Increasing number of celebrities and other high profile people talking about dementia
The general public are starting to ask questions and want to know more

 Battle of the ‘models’ is making things worse:
 Biomedical
▪ dominates research and health care
 Psychosocial
▪ dominates frontline education of the dementia care workforce and some aspects of social care

 They would say this is not an either/or issue – they want the benefits of both models:
 Cause – mostly biomedical
 Cure – mostly biomedical
 Care – mostly psychosocial

 People need to understand dementia is an organic condition and understand the nature of the neurological damage
 MUST link from the textbook facts to the inner experience of the person with dementia
 People get real ‘eureka’ moments from quite simple bits of factual material
 When the brain is taught in the right way it has a big impact on the attitudes essential to the personcentred approach

4/12/2020 Elizabeth Milwain - elizabeth@brainscapes.co.uk
7

Dysexecutive behaviour:
 Purposeless
 Disinhibited






Stereotyped, repetitive
Inflexible
Inefficient
Distractible
Loss of initiative (apathy)
Self-centred
4/12/2020 Elizabeth Milwain - elizabeth@brainscapes.co.uk
8

 Care providers provide better care if they:
 Understand the basic organisation of the human brain and how dementia impacts on its functions;
 Understand what this means for the experience and behaviour of people with dementia;
 Including how the brain damage is in constant interaction with psychological and social factors

D = NI + H + B + P + SP

 Not rigorous
 Anecdotal from feedback of delegates
 Small 6 month surveys suggest benefits endure
 Those who have commissioned have commissioned again

 201: Understanding dementia
 202: Person-centred approaches
 205: Communication & relationships
 207: Diversity, equality & inclusion

 PERSON with dementia not person with
DEMENTIA
 Do we need irrefutable research evidence before we change our approach?
 Martin Buber:
 I-it
 I-Thou

 It is an undeniable fact, though hard to describe in intelligible terms, that there are some people who reveal themselves as present.....when we are in pain or in need....while there are other people who do not give us this feeling, however great is their goodwill.
 The truth is....the material gift, the visible action, do not necessarily witness to presence....Presence is something that reveals itself immediately and unmistakeably in a look, a smile, an intonation or a handshake.

 Take every I-thou opportunity
 What we do is important, but how we do it is just as important
 It does not cost extra time or extra money
 ‘Every little helps’
 Will add up into a big difference in how people feel about living with dementia

If you would like to know more, please get in touch
Dr Elizabeth Milwain
• 22 Bankfield Drive
• Shipley
• West Yorkshire BD18 4ADth
E-mail
• elizabeth@brainscapes.co.uk
Telephone
• 01274 583364 (home)
• 07766 220725 (mobile)