Faith Gibson

The Northern Ireland life review/life storybook project for people with dementia.

There are few interventions that help people with dementia retain or regain a sense of self. Thus, a controlled pilot study examined a life review/life storybook intervention, delivered by familiar care assistants to 30 people with dementia residing in assisted living facilities in Northern Ireland. A multivariate analysis of covariance showed significant change by group (F = 5.01, p < 0.014), particularly on depression (F = 7.54, p < 0.015), communication (F = 23.36, p < 0.005), positive mood (F = 9.47, p < 0.008), and cognition (F = 20.77, p < 0.005), suggesting a potentially promising technique to assist people with dementia.

Living Alone with Dementia: A Case Study Approach to Understanding Risk

As the number of people with dementia is increasing alongside the social trend of a greater proportion of the population living on their own, this article seeks to explore a number of issues arising from these circumstances. It summarizes a qualitative study of ten people with dementia who live alone in their own homes. The views of these individuals, their families and care staff, GPs, district nurses and social workers are described and analysed, providing insights into the different perceptions of risk. The findings and discussion highlight issues relating to assessing and managing risk and problems and opportunities related to living alone with dementia. In this study no incidents of major harm were reported and daily contact with others was considerable. However, resources and support are needed to enable professionals, families and people with dementia to achieve a sense of shared negotiated responsibility for risk taking.

People with Dementia in a Rural Community Issues of Prevalence and Community Care Policy

This local study, a follow-up to one carried out 10 years earlier, focuses on prevalence rates and living circumstances of 435 people with dementia residing in a rural county in Northern Ireland. The cross-disciplinary, collaborative nature of the research process and the impact of community care policy and variation in place of residence over a decade are discussed. The advantages to be gained by carrying out similar pieces of local research are highlighted.

Adding new life to elders’ lives

ConclusionOur experience has shown that participating in computer classes brings tangible improvements to the quality of life of older learners. While some of these benefits may derive from social interaction, many more are specific to the nature of the course. Learning to use the versatile computer does not require any particular talent, yet it allows the exercise of a wide range of skills. The achievements of our participants include a novel, poetry, short stories, family histories, and a cook book. Others have catalogued collections and undertaken voluntary administrative duties, plus much more.While there is still much to learn, we may conclude that older individuals are well able to learn to use computers, that they enjoy the experience and that the consequences may prove beneficial to a greater extent than we can yet imagine.

Changes in teaching and learning: An account of one University teacher's experience

ABSTRACT This paper describes a change in teaching style within a university where conventional didactic teaching was replaced by a highly participative method requiring students to accept responsibility for their own learning. The inter-dependent tasks of teacher and student are examined, classroom process is scrutinised and outcomes evaluated.