Acknowledgements. Foreword by Glenn Rees. Foreword by Dr Shibley Rahman. Introduction. 1. Why me, why this, why now? 2. The early days. 3. So, what the hell happened to my brain? 4. Illness, sadness and positivity. 5. The dementia train and not sweating the small stuff. 6. Thank you, Richard Taylor. 7. Reactions to dementia: Yours, mine, others'. 8. The burden of disbelief. 9. Being diagnosed with younger onset dementia. 10. Children of people with younger onset dementia. 11. Early vs delayed diagnosis. 12. Dementia, grief and loss: It's very complicated. 13. The emotional toll of letting go. 14. Myths of dementia. 15. Loneliness and dementia. 16. Prescribed Disengagement. 17. Dementia as a DisAbility. 18. Stigma and Dementia. 19. The language of dementia. 20. Dementia and word finding. 21. Employment and dementia. 22. Driving and dementia. 23. Family carers or BUBs (Back Up Brains). 24. Carers speaking out publicly about people with dementia. 25. Guilt. 26. Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). 27. Interventions for dementia. 28. Blogging and writing as interventions for dementia. 29. Advocacy as an intervention for dementia. 30. Volunteering as an intervention for dementia. 31. Dementia-friendly/accessible communities. 32. Human rights in dementia and aged care. 33. There is big money in dementia. 34. Nothing about us, without us... 35. Love, gifts, dementia and dying. 36. A final word in resilience and memory. 37. Proof that people with dementia can live well. Appendix 1: Dementia: A Brief Summary. Appendix 2: Resources. References.
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Reviews
Laura Venables, who works on the Society's Engagement and Participation programme, was fascinated by Kate's account of 'prescribed disengagement'. This is how Kate describes the advice she says she was given - but ignored - to withdraw from her life and work after she was diagnosed. Laura says, 'Kate challenges the assumptions that are continuously brought out to define living with dementia. 'She openly illustrates her experiences of striving to continue life as she lived it the day before she was diagnosed, and of all the opportunities that she has become involved with since diagnosis - it's exciting stuff!'