ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author explores the particular needs and vulnerabilities of those who are living with dementia through the unique lens of attachment theory. She discusses how people with dementia, who are often marginalised and impacted by loss of memory, can be empowered by participation, together with their family carers, in reminiscence groups. The author describes the potential of using another group for dyads called the Circle of Security, devised by Bob Marvin and his colleagues in their work with parents and children. She also explores the ways psychiatrists can, as a community, learn about how revisiting and sharing the different stages in their life stories and attachment histories can lead to deepening intimacy and the renewal of emotional bonds with the creation of new meanings. The person with cognitive and memory difficulties is likely to be experiencing fear and anxiety as particular familiar environments become an unsafe place and disorientation undermines confidence and felt safety.
