Virginia Bell - The Best Friends Approach to Dementia Care

Table of Contents

Praise for this edition of
The Best Friends Approach to Dementia Care

The Best Friends philosophy has changed the face of dementia over the last two decades. This new edition will teach you everything you thought you already knew.

Amelia Schafer, M.S., Vice President of Programs, Alzheimers Association, Colorado Chapter

Whether your program serves six persons with dementia or six hundred, this new edition will become an invaluable resource. In addition to its practical tips for quality dementia care, the book offers insights into how you can obtain staff buy-in, implement your ideas, and sustain a great program over time.

Tom Cullen, CEO & Owner, Community Care Options

The Best Friends philosophy, rich in relationships and engagement, and respectful of human rights, provides a lasting foundation for dementia friendly communities and quality care.

Marc Wortmann, Executive Director, Alzheimers Disease International

This book should be must reading for care partners, both professional and family. It is practical, offering clear ways to implement all aspects of this extraordinary program. Living with memory loss can be a very frightening journey, but when surrounded by Best Friends who help you continue to engage in life, the journey can still have many moments of joy.

Joyce Simard, M.S.W., Geriatric Consultant, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University, and author, The End-of-Life Namaste Care Program for People with Dementia

I strongly recommend this book as an essential resource for anyone and everyone working in a care setting.

Padma Genesh, B.Sc., MBBS, B.A., Learning Specialist, Learning and Support Services, Alzheimer Society of Calgary, Canada

Two decades ago, Bell and Troxels Best Friends approach affirmed the primary importance of relationship in supporting well-being for people living with dementia. It is great to see this thoughtful update of a classic and time-honored model for engagement and care.

G. Allen Power, M.D., FACP, author of Dementia Beyond Drugs and Dementia Beyond Disease

The Best Friends books have become our go-to resource for ideas and inspirations about quality dementia care. This new edition raises the bar as it challenges us to develop authentic relationships and meaningful activities and to create outstanding programs.

Dina Newsom, Expressions Product Manager, Prestige Senior Living, Vancouver, WA

Best Friends is helping to establish ourselves as a center of excellence in dementia care throughout our region.

Dan Lavender, President & CEO, Moorings Park, Naples, FL

We embrace the Best Friends philosophy in all our Life Guidance memory care neighborhoods across the United States. This new edition of the classic Best Friends book is full of contemporary best practices and practical tips for successfully navigating the challenges of dementia care. It will be a valuable resource for our staff as we encourage relationships and meaningful activities to create a successful day.

Tom Alaimo, Vice President, Memory Care Operations (Life Guidance), Atria Senior Living, Louisville, KY

[The Best Friends approach has] changed the history of dementia care in our country since Best Friends is now included in the developing Dementia Strategy of Hungary!

Zsuzsa Kovacsics, M.S.W., Administrator, Mriaremete Nursing Home, Budapest, Hungary

The Best Friends philosophy is perfect for home care settings and beautifully supports the Home Instead Senior Care networks To Us, Its Personal philosophy. The person with dementia benefits from this loving approach and our networks professional CAREgiversSM can manage the challenges of dementia with wisdom and creativity.

Jeff Huber, President & CEO, Home Instead, Inc.

Bell and Troxel, in their inspiring book, have shown me the way home and given me new confidence that I am not alone, that I dont have to fight Alzheimers myself. [They] are partners who can lead.

Greg OBrien, author, On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimers

The Best Friends approach really works, attracting volunteers and building a fantastic day of activities and engagement. Our day center participants have felt known, loved, and valued, as have I.

Linda Rector, volunteer, Best Friends Day Center, Lexington, KY

Additional titles available on Best Friends care practices

The Best Friends Book of Alzheimers Activities

Volume One

Volume Two

by Virginia Bell, David Troxel, Tonya Cox & Robin Hamon

The Best Friends Staff: Building a Culture of Care in Alzheimers Programs

by Virginia Bell & David Troxel

The Best Friends Daily Planner

by Virginia Bell & David Troxel

Los Mejores Amigos en el Cuidado de Alzheimer

by Virginia Bell & David Troxel

To order, contact Health Professions Press, Inc.

Post Office Box 10624 Baltimore, MD 21285-0624

1-888-337-8808

www.healthpropress.com

For questions about quantity discounts or training, including training for Best Friends Master Trainer Certification, contact

www.facebook.com/bestfriendsapproach

@HealthProPress

Health Professions Press, Inc.

Post Office Box 10624

Baltimore, Maryland 21285-0624

www.healthpropress.com

Copyright 2017 by Health Professions Press, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Interior design by Mindy Dunn.

Cover design by Erin Geoghegan.

Typeset by Absolute Service, Inc., Towson, Maryland.

Manufactured in the United States of America by Maple Press, York, Pennsylvania.

Best Friends and the logo are trademarks of Health Professions Press, Inc.

All case stories appearing in this book feature real people and places, and are used with permission.

A number of items presented in this text are also available as downloadable PDF files at www.healthpropress.com/bell-downloads. Permission is granted to print or photocopy these downloadable resources from the HPP website for non-commercial training or educational purposes. The copyright and credit line appearing in the PDF files must remain in place. None of the materials may be reproduced to generate revenue for any program or individual. Unauthorized use is prosecutable under federal law.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Bell, Virginia, author. | Troxel, David, author.

Title: The best friends approach to dementia care / by Virginia Bell, David Troxel.