ABSTRACT
Individualised or person-centred care is an ethical and compassionate approach by which the practitioner draws on the skills and knowledge of people living with dementia as experts in their own care. Managing and potentially delaying the onset of dementia require multifaceted strategies which to be successful have to be based on a flexible approach, one that actively supports people with dementia living well. Dementia as a condition and caring for someone with dementia can be stressful; negative attitudes can be a significant barrier to people with dementia living well with the condition. Being strengths-focused also extends to the use of assistive technology; the practitioner must use these technologies to enable people living with dementia to live well. To really understand the needs and values of people living with dementia the practitioner has to be an active and skilled listener. The chapter also presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book.
