ABSTRACT
Service user and carer engagement is an accepted element of much of health and social care activity and ranges from involvement in decisions about individual care to advocacy, research and education. Yet, people with dementia have been less engaged in the development and improvement of health and social care services. People with dementia are a diverse group and as such will have a diverse range of wishes, but all will require holistic, joined-up services meeting their health and social care needs and reflecting the need to retain their social inclusion. Engaging with people with dementia, particularly those who may be past the early stages of the disease, will require careful planning in order to empower the service user and carer and allow them to communicate their views and needs. People with dementia are a diverse group of people and whilst they share some experience they also have individual concerns and needs.
