My name is Jane M. Mullins and I am a dementia nurse consultant, and have worked with people who have dementia and their families for over 30 years.  The philosophy behind my Company- DUETcare™ (Dignity Understanding & Empathy Training) is to develop a connection between the individual requiring care and the individuals providing care. Here, I recognise that caring is a partnership and in order to support people living with dementia and their families and loved ones, we as health and social care professionals need to be supported well too. My experience includes:

• Supporting people through their diagnosis in memory clinics: Bath and Cardiff
  

• Providing support and advice throughout all stages of their condition while living at home

• Being a care assistant and registered nurse in a care home

• Managing a care home

• Caring for people in hospital wards

• Researching with people to help them get their voices heard for my PhD and further research

• Developing a Suitcase of Memories, using multisensory reminiscence with couples to help them communicate and stay connected through my work as a Researcher at the Awen Institute, Swansea University

• Coaching health and social care undergraduate students in Personal and Professional Development at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

My book, training and courses have been developed over many years, to help all people living with dementia, their families, staff and caregivers understand how dementia can affect a person, how they experience the world around them and how we can care WITH them. I have built on the work of Tom Kitwood, Abraham Maslow and Martha Rogers in developing the Finding the Light in Dementia Model of Care.

Through these resources, you will learn how to identify a person’s needs and work with their strengths. You will learn to care with confidence throughout all stages of the condition, as well as care for yourself.

Whether you’re a family caregiver, health and social care professional, volunteer or member of the public who wants to understand more about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Finding the Light in Dementia can help you.

By working closely with members of the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project  (people who are living with dementia), Alzauthors and Meri Yaadain plus leading professionals and researchers in the field, we share our culturally sensitive, evidence based knowledge, and expertise.

You can also read my blogs here

“Caring for Mum who has Alzheimer’s had been made much easier after reading this book. Practical suggestions that family and paid carers can work on together has created greater consistency of care. Mum is happier and less anxious. Brilliant resource. Highly recommended”

Angharad