Amy Pepper, Dementia Care Manager at HC-One has recently co-authored a new book designed to support professional carers starting out on their dementia care journey.
Written by Amy alongside her former colleagues at Dementia UK, Dr. Karen Harrison Dening and Dr. Emma Wolverson, Dementia: An Introduction for Nursing, Health and Social Care is a textbook that aims to enhance the quality of care provided to people living with dementia. Published by Lantern Publishing on October 14, 2024, the book serves as a practical “reference guide” for professional carers, offering foundational knowledge and addressing common issues in dementia care.
Amy identified a gap in the availability of introductory texts on dementia care, noting that only a few resources exist in this space. She explained that the book is intended to equip health and care students with essential information, supporting them during their studies and as they begin their careers, enabling them to become more well-rounded practitioners.
The book aligns with HC-One’s commitment to caring with kindness – a philosophy that focuses on understanding what matters most to each individual, building personal connections, and providing the best possible quality of life. This approach ensures that carers at HC-One’s homes are empowered to support residents to live their best lives, even as their circumstances change.
Amy Pepper, Dementia Care Manager at HC-One, said:
“Person-centred care is what we strive to deliver at HC-One. it is such an important part of dementia care and it’s an overarching theme that we need an understanding of before we start caring for people.
“It’s quite easy to feel adrift when you are first starting out, and to not know the answers to many questions. Our five C’s model supports our colleagues to be curious, compassionate, creative, courageous and counted on - and this book reflects those values by supporting informed and reflective practice."
Amy added that a common issue in dementia is knowing your residents you are caring for, as it is vital to recognise that each person is an individual. Carers should identify information about who that person was before the dementia, what is important to them and what has happened in their life.
Dr. Karen Harrison Dening, Head of Research & Publications at Dementia UK, added:
“The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline and Admiral Nurses working in the field are often asked for information and advice on many aspects of best practice in dementia care. The co-authors of this book wanted to provide some of this information in a concise and easy to access format.
“The book will be of value to any health and care student and guide their learning on dementia care. It will also be of value to many generalist health and care professionals in their early years post qualifying.”
Insights into each resident’s life are subsequently used to shape all the care provided across HC-One’s 275+ homes.
To read Dementia: An Introduction for Nursing, Health and Social Care, visit Lantern Publishing’s website here.