Life History Booklet: Getting to know me in my own unique way

Dementia has become a significant health and social issue in Ireland due to its increasing prevalence in the older population and the rising number of people with dementia in Ireland. Client centred practice is core to the... [ view full abstract ]

Dementia has become a significant health and social issue in Ireland due to its increasing prevalence in the older population and the rising number of people with dementia in Ireland. Client centred practice is core to the profession of OT. The Irish National Dementia Strategy (2014) coordinates a framework for dementia care which supports this approach.

The authors designed, developed and published the life history booklet for people with dementia. This life history booklet will give people with dementia and their family or carers an opportunity of sharing their personal profile with others.

The booklet is specially designed to help the person retain their own personal history as they progress through dementia. The booklet can be filled in to offer insight in to the person’s history, personal characteristics, roles & values.

The booklet is a personal profile that will give carers a meaningful insight into the person’s life. The person completing the life history booklet can share it with whom they choose as a privileged tool when getting to know the uniqueness of each person. The life history profile encourages recognition of the whole person in the context of their life span.

Preliminary reports from formal carers suggest increased knowledge about the person from the booklet, more involvement in the life of the person, greater insight into the person, overall increased knowledge by the carer beyond the neurological impairment. The authors of the booklet plan to formally evaluate the booklet now that it has been launched.