Namaste Care for People Living with Advanced Dementia

Namaste Care seeks to engage people with advanced dementia through sensory input, especially touch, and to enrich their quality of life and is becoming well established in the care home sector in the UK. This exciting book by Nicola Kendall offers a strong and passionate template for how Namaste can be delivered to people with advanced dementia living in their own home by engaging volunteers and family members in its delivery. This book not only details their experiences and the compassion that has been a driver for the service but is also one that helps the reader to deliver Namaste Care themselves. This is a book I would recommend for family carers as well as services who wish to embrace this sensitive and innovative care approach. – Dr Karen Harrison Dening, Head of Research & Publications, Dementia UKThis informative and thought-provoking book is packed with helpful guidance in supporting people to live well with advanced dementia. It is a must read for those who are working in care services and for those who are caring for individuals at home. – Jackie Pool, Director of Memory Care, Sunrise Senior Living UKMore than a practical guide, this is a brilliant resource on Namaste Care - well written, insightful, providing a wealth of information. I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone interested in Namaste Care. A timely publication given the rise in dementia and the need to harness compassion in our communities. – Colette O’Driscoll, Namaste Care Manager, St Joseph’s HospiceAt a time when funding in health and social care is drastically reduced and the numbers of people living longer with dementia are increasing, this is an informed and inspiring handbook on how to address some of these issues. Training and building resilient communities is the key to allaying the fears around communicating with people with dementia and supporting carers who have often fallen through the net of care. I know this approach works, through St Joseph’s Hospice I set up the first Namaste Care Service in the UK which involved home visits - it’s difficult, a balance of risk but one of the most rewarding projects I have worked on. If you are interested in setting up a similar service, this book will give you the impetus, confidence and insight and leave a lasting impact on you and your community. – Lourdes Colclough, Former Namaste Care Manager, St Joseph’s Hospice, now Macmillan Engagement ManagerA thorough and accessible guide. The subject is brought to life throughout with personal stories of how people living with advanced dementia can be supported to engage with the world and experience joy. – Isabelle Latham, Senior Lecturer, Association for Dementia Studies, University of WorcesterAlways deeply respectful, often poignant and at times humorous, it sparkles with joyful moments and celebrations of life. To quote the author, “Embrace this (book) with gentle curiosity and enjoy the ride.” I, for one, would like to go round again. – Danuta Lipinska, Specialist in Ageing & Dementia Care, Training Consultant, Counsellor, Supervisor, ‘My Home Life’ Action Learning FacilitatorThis book is full of hope, humility and insight. Contributors draw from a rich and diverse range of theory, research and professional experience to share the practical wisdom of namaste care. – Luke Tanner, Body psychotherapist & Dementia Care Trainer and Consultant

Nicola Kendall is a qualified psychotherapist, complementary therapist and mindfulness teacher, as well as the Namaste Lead at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Durham. She is responsible for setting up a community project involving trained volunteers delivering Namaste Care to people living with advanced dementia at home.