DAI "Meeting Of The Minds" Webinar - Living with Dementia: Supporting those who have it and care partners, by Laurie White.
Review by Bobby Redman, Vice Chair, Dementia Alliance International
Another successful Meeting of the Minds Webinar took place on the February 24th / 25th, with 147 registering to attend. Although not everyone who registered, made it to the presentation by Laurie White from Dementia Care Consulting, there were 55 attendees, with a good mix of people living with dementia, care partners, health care professionals and researchers.
Laurie’s extensive experience, in working with people with dementia and their families became clear during her presentation: Living with Dementia – Supporting those who have it and care partners. Her perspective showed empathy and insight into the world of people living with dementia and their care partners.
Although we are all aware that peoples’ experience of dementia differs and not everyone thinks and acts in the same way, I could relate to many of the quotes and suggestions made by Laurie. Her focus on the “humanity of the person”, recognising that we all have our own stories and urging carers to put themselves in the shoes of those living with dementia, who may feel that they are still the same inside, was heart-warming.
For me, the recognition that dementia is not all about memory was particularly meaningful, as this is often missed by health professionals, who often fail to identify the real issues because they are constantly measuring for loss of memory.
I also enjoyed her perspective on how to communicate better with people living with dementia, reminding people to meet our personal needs in that area – a true person-centred approach.
Laurie clearly captivated the audience judging by the numerous questions following the presentation. Laurie generously responded to queries, both related to her presentation and the many other questions about unrelated areas, thrown her way. Without a doubt there are still many, out there, seeking a better understanding of dementia and a practical presentation, such as this, hopefully, provided this, as well as some insightful ideas on providing supportive care.
For those who missed the presentation, Laurie has given us permission to share her PowerPoint. This is available now, and a recording of the actual presentation, which covers a great deal more that will be available down the track, once edited.
Download Laurie's slides here.