ABSTRACT
This chapter challenges the despair associated with dementia - a condition that means inevitable decline and degeneration. Unfortunately, such pessimism is characterised by therapeutic nihilism, wherein rehabilitation is seen as an objective incompatible with the nature of the problem. A cardinal feature of dementia is a profound storage deficit. Often referred to as short-term memory loss, it results in disorientation, repetitive questioning and poor task performance. In the process of identifying the causes of behavioural and intellectual changes it is vital to ascertain if there are specific areas of brain damage or impairment. This requires awareness of neuropsychological features and the potential failure of care programmes if allowances are not made for these. The creation of individual rehabilitation programmes is probably one of the most demanding challenges for staff. When the neuropsychological basis of a person's difficulties is understood, and their problems are placed within the framework of an ecobehavioural analysis, an appropriate care plan can be introduced.
