Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer-type dementias are often feared more than death itself. To many they appear to cut off all hope for any future.

It is also well known that working with people with dementia is exceedingly fatiguing and stressful both physically and emotionally.

Contrary to common assumption, people with dementia are highly responsive to their physical and psychosocial environment. Excellent, appropriate and relevant care can result in dramatically improved quality of life.

People with dementia need safety and physical care, treatment of excess disability, reduction of stress, increase in stimulation, time spent in meaningful activities, and the restoration of those elusive elements: quality of life, dignity, self-esteem, self-actualization, happiness, friendship, and maximum function.

Many people with dementia become much more open emotionally, showing affection and love as never before.

The human journey to inward peace and resolution still continues for the person with Alzheimer’s disease, and achieving happiness is entirely possible.

Many people with totally fragmented short-term memory function have astonishingly accurate long-term memory.

Special abilities also often remain – singers still sing, musicians still play, the spiritual will still be spiritually awake, although they will need more feeling and less abstraction for their spirituality.

The sense of humour remains.

Pleasures are still pleasures – such as eating good food, enjoying flowers, delighting in small children, and loving animals.