Self-management for people with early dementia

Abstract

This article describes the concept of self-management and how it is being promoted. This is followed by a consideration of why dementia has been largely set aside. Illustrations of how people with early dementia might be enabled to participate are given and the requirements that will help to make this a reality are postulated. These include early disclosure of the diagnosis, support with the consequences of disclosure, a focus upon the needs of the person with dementia, identification of specific interventions that might facilitate self-management, meeting needs for professional education and support and a whole systems approach towards treatment and care. The results of a scoping review of the evidence is given, with an extra factor of meeting needs for lay and patient education being identified in addition to those elements originally postulated. The implications of policy neglect combined with a patchy evidence base and unrecognized service innovations are discussed.