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New book to ‘challenge dementia assumptions’ with V&A Dundee launch

New book to ‘challenge dementia assumptions’ with V&A Dundee launch

9th August 2023

A new NHS-inspired book that will detail experiences of dementia and misconceptions around it is being launched at V&A Dundee on Friday 1 September, 10:30am-12:30pm

The event on Friday 1 September will see Challenging Assumptions Around Dementia: User-Led Research and Untold Stories – published by Palgrave Publishers – formally unveiled to the public.

Book cover for Challenging Assumptions Around Dementia: User-Led Research and Untold StoriesTaking place from 10.30am till 12.30pm, the event is being hosted by the NHS Research Scotland Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network (NRS NDN) and the British Gerontology Society.

The project commenced last year when NRS NDN’s Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group first embarked on writing the book and putting it together.

The group, known as Partners in Research, have since spent the last 12 months sharing their experiences of different types of dementia and these have been collated into one volume.

Six of the co-authors are living with dementia, and six of the co-authors support, or have supported, someone living with dementia as unpaid carers. The event will see them present the key learnings they would like to share from their experience, as well as what it has been like to collaborate on producing the book.

Included in Challenging Assumptions Around Dementia will be a wide spectrum of experiences – from Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia, and Vascular dementia to Posterior Cortical Atrophy, Semantic dementia, and Lewy body dementia.

The 2-hour event will be led by the co-authors with lived experience and includes a question-and-answer panel discussion. If you have questions that you would like to send to the co-authors in advance, please do so by emailing tay.ppipartners@nhs.scot.

There are limited spaces left for the event, so if you would like to attend in person, please contact tay.ppipartners@nhs.scot as soon as possible. Remaining spaces will be allocated on a first come first served basis and a buffet lunch will be provided.

If you cannot attend the event but would like to hear more, an audio recording of the event will be uploaded to the NHS Research Scotland website.

Once the book is available, a link to it  will be available on the NRS NDN webpages. The book will be freely available online thanks to the open access funding provided by the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

Quotes from the co-authors of Challenging Assumptions Around Dementia

“A dementia diagnosis inevitably means lots of questions for both patients and family. They’ll want to get as much information as possible – from planning for the future and how to handle the emotional impact, to getting the best treatments and accessing the right support.

“Sharing personal experiences, knowledge, and coping mechanisms can play a vital role in that support network, as can the ability to dispel some of the misconceptions, and that’s why we believe this book will be an important read for people going through similar situations.” 

“It is great to see this project now fully coming to fruition and September’s launch event at V&A Dundee will be the culmination of a lot of hard work.”

“Compiling Challenging Assumptions Around Dementia has been a real labour of love and represents a proud achievement for all involved. We look forward to seeing it in the hands of those who can benefit from it most.”

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