Living Normally with Dementia: One Care Home's Story and How to Make it Yours

by May Eiby

Living Normally with Dementia  tells the successful story of Dagmarsminde, a small innovative nursing home in Denmark with a remarkable and life-affirming approach to dementia care. The philosophy and lived experiences of this model home are illustrated with real examples and vignettes from day-to-day care. The founder and staff offer a replicable approach to helping their residents with dementia enjoy a richer, more normal-feeling life than residents receiving the “usual care” in most settings. The staff, in turn, enjoy the professional rewards of following their calling to this work with confidence and compassion. Person-centered practices define the daily routine and include a focus on good nutrition, contact with nature, healthy physical activities, and as much independence in activities of daily living as possible. The needs and progress of each resident are paramount. From the time a new resident arrives at the home until the person has died, the goal of care is to help residents This book invites leaders, direct care partners, students, and families to immerse themselves in a home that operates very differently from traditional, institutional nursing homes. The goal is to help readers in the U.S. and around the world envision new, more satisfying ways of working with people living with dementia and to explore new approaches in their own care homes.

290 pages, Paperback

Published December 12, 2022

Reviews

[Julia Dwyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve got mixed feelings about this book. Take what I say with a grain of salt since this book is about a facility in Denmark, and I live in the US.

Positives:
It takes a lot of time to talk about the death process which I find other resources have lacked in.
A lot of emphasis on the importance of a regular schedule, exercise, and creative opportunities

Negatives:
Nothing is evidence based. There are no sources to back up anything
Author is trying very hard to paint other facilities as “less than” to the extreme
Book states nothing about the cost of running a building like this or the financial difficulties of having a loved one live there
Chapter about assisted devices comes across as ableist, insisting that walkers and wheelchairs being removed makes a place feel more “wholesome.” I find this view problematic because the “solution” is to have a resident rely on a caregiver to walk, thus limiting independence. Also moving someone from a wheelchair to a stationary chair limits their movement. Many residents are able to move themselves in their wheelchairs, moving them forces them to stay in one place they may not want to be.
Would have liked to seen something about avoiding infantilization, as I find that’s a common problem.


Overall I found a lot of the information useful. Even without sources, it was thought provoking. Thought the execution and information could have been better.