Finding the Light in Dementia:: A Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers

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She has uncovered certain common features that help caregivers & the people they care for find better ways of coping. Develop other Finding the Light in Care training: for example, for people living with Parkinson’s disease, stroke and more.

By contributing to our Finding the Light in Dementia Care™ Crowdfunder you will help us to develop Finding the Light in Dementia Care™ into a multimedia online platform that will provide: Dr. Jane M. Mullins is a dementia nurse consultant who has devoted over 30 years to the study and practice of dementia care. Through listening to and supporting people and their families during and following their diagnosis in memory clinics, caring for people who have dementia in hospital and in care homes, she has helped people throughout all of the stages of their condition. When managing a Care Home, she has supported their transition from home to residential care using life stories as a guide to planning their life and care throughout their remaining years. This has included supporting their partners, families and friends. Her particular passions are finding ways to communicate with people who have dementia through music, art and nature as a way to helping them feel well and valued.

Next steps

There is much we can do in stages to get this platform up and running thanks to the selfless help from creative souls such as Tom Tremayne, Jim Rich Film, Julia Powell and Kathryn Davies. So any pledges now are welcome to help build the videos and podcasts. Chapter 11, Caring for the caregiver, stresses not ignoring the emotional, physical and social upheaval that you are experiencing. The tips about not coping alone and for looking after yourself are clearly described and valuable. The author is a dementia nurse consultant and has worked for the past 25 years in Memory Clinics in Bath and Cardiff, and in care homes and hospital settings. Dr Mullins says, 'I have written a book – based on my practice and my PhD. My research explored multi-sensory ways for families to communicate and reconnect with their loved ones living with moderate dementia.' If or when care is no longer possible at home, there's advice, too, on choosing the right residential care. Jane Mullins' book is not published by a large, well-known publisher, so she says she has to work tirelessly to get this into the public domain.

Created in collaboration with Meri Yaadain to ensure training is culturally inclusive, accessible and relevant for all. I have felt personally and professionally supported by Jane when we were colleagues at Cardiff University. Jane is a very dynamic individual, who was keen to ensure students were supported to understand how best to provide empathetic care for people who are living with dementia and their families. It was a pleasure working alongside Jane in this role and I hope to collaborate with her further to promote empathy, care and compassion in dementia care. When managing a Care Home, she has supported their transition from home to residential care using life stories as a guide to planning their life & care throughout their remaining years. A Suitcase of Memories multisensory toolkit activity for people living with dementia and their families to help them cope with the self-isolation caused by the pandemic; Dr Ann Williams -" Dementia care training is absolutely vital, not only for the welfare of patients but also for the wellbeing of their families and of the care staff. There could be no better person to develop this training than Jane Mullins – her approach is filled with compassion & genuine understanding of the diverse needs of dementia sufferers and their loved ones. The beauty of her ‘Finding the Light’ approach is in its simplicity & the genuine & meaningful connections it elicits."

Useful content 

Meghani, N.A.A.,Hudson, J., Stratton, G, and Mullins, J., 2023. Optimising older adults’ home spaces to enhance their physical activity level; an explorative qualitative study protocol. BMJ (Open), 13(2), p.e066940. Andrea Nicholas Jones, Director Strategic Partnerships, Action for Elders, Wales Trustee & Chair of National Council, Hourglass (Action on Elder Abuse), Welsh Government Strategy for Older People Lead, British Irish Council Chair working group on Preventative Spend. "A Dementia diagnosis can be devastating for the individual and their family, however, with the right support, people can still live a productive and meaningful life. Critical for this is training for staff on how to enable the individual to maximise their wellbeing. This programme offers this and more and has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for anyone living with dementia. The care staff wellbeing hub will offer invaluable support to staff working in this challenging area." As well as the above, the platform will provide resources for people living with dementia and their families that will help them to stay connected: this includes our Suitcase of Memories toolkit.

A strong self-development ethos underpins the whole of the training including reflective practice, enjoyable activities and access to a wellbeing hub with self-care and grief and bereavement resources – Helps develop a resilient, knowledgeable workforce that will contribute to staff retention.This will benefit all staff, patients and residents involved in social and health care, care homes, hospitals and home care. It gives insight into their feelings, and helps you to find ways to cope with the many difficult situations that continually arise. I also find the summary at the end of each chapter very useful.’ Range of readers

CPR Guardian (CPR Global Tech Ltd) has been designing and manufacturing telecoms product for more than 10 years. Since 2010 we have helped over 1,000,000 people stay safe inside and outside their homes, supporting customers and their families across the UK, USA, and the rest of the world. As well as the training, they will be able to access a care staff wellbeing hub full of enjoyable resources, to help them care for themselves. Be aware that if the colour of the flooring between the outside and the toilet is different or too contrasting, your loved one may see it as a step or a hole and not want to step over it An on-line self-care and wellbeing hub for carers and health and social care staff to help them heal from the stress, grief and bereavement caused by Covid and beyond;Janet agrees, ‘It is very easy to read, with lots of advice about everyday practicalities such as eating, washing, dressing and safety. Additionally. the author describes ways to keep the person stimulated and still able to enjoy life via music, art, memory books and boxes, and nature.