Naming the demon of dementia

Cheston, Richard

Abstract

Background: Government policy emphasises the importance of people living with dementia and their families planning for their future. This is made more difficult when people struggle to find the words to describe their illness.
Aim: This paper illustrates how the assimilation model can provide a structure for talking with people living with dementia about their condition.
Methods: Data will be presented from a series of studies that have used the assimilation model to analyse transcripts of groups of people living with dementia and conversations between couples.
Results: The eight levels of the assimilation model put forward by Stiles and colleagues can be roughly grouped as falling into three therapeutic tasks. The first task for someone living with dementia is to put a name to their dementia without at the same time being emotionally overwhelmed. The second task is for the person with dementia to find distance and perspective from their diagnosis. Finally, the diagnosis is worked through and becomes integrated into the persons’ identity. Therapeutic markers of each of these three tasks will be illustrated together with potential therapeutic options for engaging with the diagnosis.
Discussion: The assimilation model provides a structure within which therapists can help people living with dementia to engage with the existential challenges inherent in this terrible illness. This framework combines both cognitive and affective changes within a person’s relationship with their diagnosis and has implications for dementia work outside psychotherapy.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: Society for Psychotherapy Research (UK chapter)
• Start Date: Apr 8, 2022
• End Date: Apr 9, 2022
• Deposit Date: Apr 29, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 29, 2022
• Keywords: Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Psychotherapy, Assimilation, Process, Adjustment
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/9327185