Understanding Learning Disability and Dementia - Developing Effective Interventions

This book is an essential resource for all those in the care of people with learning disabilities. Diana Kerr's accessible style of writing makes this book a delight to read. In my view, anyone who reads this practical and compelling book will gain invaluable insights into the care of people with learning disabilities who go on to develop dementia. The key issues are highlighted as follows:

o Gaining a good understanding of the different types of dementias - the author highlights the most common types of dementias and outlines the symptoms associated with each type of dementia. She uses statistics to explain why and how people with learning disabilities are at an increased risk of developing dementia in a way that is easy for the reader to understand.

o Gaining a good understanding of how to develop services in order to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities who go on to develop dementia - the author challenges service providers and commissioners of care to evaluate current provisions. She gives examples of good practice which can be replicated in most care settings given adequate resources.

o The author rightly highlights that there is a 'lack of preparedness' among professionals who work with people with learning disabilities when it comes to dementia care. Diana Kerr emphasises the importance of services being 'dementia ready'. In other words staff need to be trained and environments must be suitably adapted long before a service user develops dementia.

o Another key aspect of this book is that the author addresses the emotional and information needs of family carers. Professionals who work with people with learning disabilities need to develop services that meet the needs of family carers. Diana Kerr gives very useful advice on how best to support family carers when a diagnosis of dementia is made.

o Learning Disabilities and Dementia is everyone's business. The author makes it very clear that all agencies whose services are accessed by people with learning disabilities must make it their business to have a basic understanding of learning disabilities and dementia. This book would certainly serve as a 'bible' for those professionals who do not necessarily come into contact with Learning Disabilities on a daily basis. In my view every General Practitioner (GP) practice, every ward in acute hospitals and every office in Care Management teams must have this book.

Sifiso Ndlovu is the Manager and Training Consultant of Steven Lodge, a care home in the UK for people with Learning Disabilities. She has a special interest in dementia care and has presented her work at several International Dementia Conferences.

Please feel free to comment on my articles and visit the link to site of Steven Lodge. stevenlodge.co.uk stevenlodge.co.uk