#banbpsd

[kateswaffer]

Ditch Sugar for Brain Health!

Ditch Sugar for Brain Health!

Do it, ditch processed sugar, even if you only do it for Brain Health Awareness Month! In fact, I believe we need campaigns similar to Dry July, that encourage us to sign up to a month with no processed sugar. Honestly, I believe it’s a drug that’s worse than heroin in terms of addiction, and worse for our health than obesity, smoking and not exercising, all bundled together! The reason I…

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More reasons to #BanBPSD

More reasons to #BanBPSD

An article published in April 2019 Language paradigms when behaviour changes with dementia: #BanBPSD, rather ironically helps explain to me why we need to ban the contruct known as the Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD), and not just change the name. I’m doubtful that was the intention of the authors…

Over the last few years, many people in academia and in clinical…

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Rethinking Dementia Care by banning BPSD

Rethinking Dementia Care by banning BPSD

Image source: Kate Swaffer 2018

Two years ago I published a series of blogs focused on the need to rethink dementia care, to reframe dementia entirely, on dementia as a major cause of disability, but most especially on the need to ban BPSD (Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia).

The Coronavirus pandemic has almost proven BPSD is a false construct, and that people with dementia…

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Patch Adams & #BanningBPSD

Patch Adams & #BanningBPSD

“If you treat a disease, you win, you loose; if you treat a person, you win, no matter what the outcome.”

(Patch Adams)

The movie, Patch Adams (which I love), is based on the true story of a heroic man, Hunter “Patch” Adams, determined to become a medical doctor because he enjoys helping people.

He ventured where no doctor had ventured before, using humour and pathos, and understanding…

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We still need to Ban BPSD

We still need to Ban BPSD

In 2015, Dr Al Power, Daniella Greenwood and I were accused by some academics of being not only deeply offensive, but of being wrong, simply becasue we gave keynote presentations at a conference challenging the status quo in dementia care, and in particualr challenging the concept of BPSD.

We believed then, and I’m confident I can speak for them on this here, we all believe even more so now,…

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Two strong women, both wanting to scream

Two strong women, both wanting to scream

The life of an advocate can definitely be rewarding, but it can also be very challenging. Along my own roller coaster ride of living with dementia and public advocacy, I have met a lot of wonderful people, as well as felt a lot of frustration. I am though, very happy not to be walking alone any more, including when I want to scream! See this ‘encouraging’ email I received a while ago:

“When I…

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We need to Ban BPSD before it's too late...

We need to Ban BPSD before it’s too late…

The following article which is about a 5 year research project is truly terrifying, and only confirms my committment towards the need to Rethink Dementia and ban BPSD. It is thanks to Tina Minkowitz who is an attorney and psychiatric survivor in New York, and founded the Center for the Human Rights of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, that I have seen it. Like those with mental illness who are…

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Are people with dementia 'irremediably difficult'?

Are people with dementia ‘irremediably difficult’?

Image source: screen shot from strategy+business

In a blog published on 19 October 2018 on the site, strategy+business, There’s No Such Thing as Difficult People, written by Adam Kahane, there is a strong suggestion this is true.  I took a screen shot from the site of Adam to use here, which has some information about who he is, and refers to a book that sounds very interesting! Adams article has…

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