Risk Assessment and Management for Living Well With Dementia

*Winner in the Health and Social Care category at the 2012 British Medical Association Book Awards*Risk is central to professional practice, assessment and decision-making in dementia care. Yet theories of risk are often complex and difficult to translate into everyday practice. This book outlines some of the key issues in risk perception, assessment and management in dementia care in a way that is both practical and accessible to a wide range of practitioners. It develops an approach to risk that promotes choice for people with dementia whilst also acknowledging the complex challenges care providers face. The authors provide an overview of the legislative framework currently in place, and of the ethical dilemmas which may emerge in practice. Frameworks for informed and balanced decision-making are offered, and the importance of including the person with dementia, their family, and care providers in decision-making is emphasised. Throughout the book, case studies are used to illustrate effective negotiation and practical solutions to risk dilemmas in practice. This book highlights principles of good practice for managing risk in dementia care, and presents a rounded approach that will help practitioners negotiate some of the complex issues this entails.

Charlotte L. Clarke is Professor of Nursing Practice Development Research and Associate Dean at Northumbria University. Catherine E. Gibb is a Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University. John Keady is Professor of Older People's Mental Health Nursing at the University of Manchester and Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Heather Wilkinson is Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships and Research Director for the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh.