Book: Emotional Well-Being for the Person with Dementia

When you are with a person with dementia who is at end of life, you may not be communicating in a verbal manner. Non-verbal communication may be the focus as discussed in the previous pages. You have known and cared for your loved one – trust in your skills.

Research shows that attention to simple interventions makes a significant difference to how positively families viewed their relative’s death. ‘Being with’ rather than ‘doing for’ may be the aim or goal of care at this stage (Lawrence et al 2011).