Books For Carers. Reviews of the best-selling books for carers

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We have reviewed some of the best-selling books for carers that can help further your knowledge on the subject of dementia.

These books are especially helpful to carers and people living with dementia by providing factual information, guides and experts point-of view on the subject of dementia.

Here are just a few of the many great books on the subject of dementia that a carer will find useful. We hope the books we have reviewed below will help you as a carer become more informed about caring, understanding and dealing with dementia.

If you would like to read true-life stories please look at our books here


Understanding Behaviour in Dementia That Challenges

The full title of this book is – Understanding Behaviour in Dementia That Challenges: A Guide to Assessment and Treatment

This is one of them books for carers that can provide some of the best information you can get in one book.

The author, Ian Andrew James looks beyond the behaviour itself to the causes behind it. He suggests both medical and non-pharmalogical approaches to lessening suffering and improving quality of life and wellbeing.

This book works towards understanding the nature of this distress, examining the views of the client and using the information gathered to prevent repetition of upsetting and uncomfortable circumstances.

The book goes on to discuss psychotropic medication, psychological approaches, conceptual models for aiding assessment and treatment shows an example of the Unmet Needs Model in action.

It concludes with a series of insightful case studies, which clarify the content and will enable anyone dealing with challenging behaviour in older people to set about improving it.

This book will be of great interest to everybody involved in the care of older people, including care staff and healthcare practitioners. This series constitutes a set of accessible, jargon-free, evidence-based good practice guides for all those involved in the care of people with dementia and their families. The series draws together a range of evidence including the experience of people with dementia and their families to promote quality of life and quality of care.

The book Understanding Behaviour in Dementia That Challenges, has had 39 reviews and scores an excellent 4.7 on Amazon


Dementia Essentials

The full title of this book on dementia is – Dementia Essentials: How to Guide a Loved One Through Alzheimer’s or Dementia and Provide the Best Care.

Dementia Essentials written by Jan Hall. It is a practical, realistic and reassuring guide to help you and the person with dementia in all aspects of life and what the future could bring.

The author, Jan Hall is a real carer with first-hand experience of the challenges dementia poses. The book is full of essential advice, personal insights and helpful strategies to dealing with dementia.

This book can benefit carers by giving thorough explanations of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Advice on medication and getting support from local health professionals. Ideas for encouraging independence, confidence and activity.  While reducing anxiety, aggression and confusion in a person with dementia.

Guidance on how to prepare for the future, including legal and financial decisions. Help with choosing a care home and strategies for coping as a family carer.

The advice and guides given in the book intend to help you to feel less alone and more empowered as a carer and if you are living with the condition. Dementia Essentials is both a positive and practical book. It will help you provide and find the best possible care for the person you are supporting.

Dementia Essentials has received over 100 reviews and a very good feedback score of 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon


Contented Dementia. 24-hour Wraparound Care for Lifelong Well-Being

Written by the clinical psychologist and bestselling author Oliver James.

The book gives you practical methods for managing dementia that will allow both sufferer and carer to maintain the highest possible quality of life. Throughout every stage of the illness.

A person with dementia will experience random and increasingly frequent memory blanks relating to recent events. Feelings, however, remain intact, as do memories of past events and both can be used in a special way to substitute for more recent information that has been lost.

The SPECAL method (Specialized Early Care for Alzheimer’s) outlined in this book works by creating links between past memories and the routine activities of daily life in the present.

Drawing on real-life examples and user-friendly tried-and-tested methods,

Contented Dementia provides essential information and guidance for carers, relatives and professionals


Contented Dementia. 24-hour Wraparound Care for Lifelong Well-Being, has received over 1175 reviews and scores an impressive 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon.


Dementia: The one Stop Guide

The full title of this book is – Dementia: The One-Stop Guide: Practical advice for families, professionals & people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. It is written by the author June Andrews.

This book is said to be a one-stop-guide to those caring for somebody with dementia. It  provides practical information & advice for carers, supporters and those living with the disease.

This book has some great information written in a simple way that describes many areas concerning dementia. This includes recognising dementia symptoms, getting help, managing finances, staying in your home, dementia treatment, being a carer and staying positive.

This guide will help those living with dementia and their families to make sure that they can stay well and happy as long as possible.

If you want to buy the book, Dementia, The One Stop Guide has over 460 reviews and scores a respectable 4.6 on Amazon


Dementia Care (Nursing and Health Survival Guides)

 We have included this book because it is a short and very descriptive little book that can be referenced quickly.

This great little book only has 65 pages so you won’t be overwhelmed with information on dementia. It’s not a big reference book to buy if you are a dementia student or nurse, unless you want a quick guide-book to carry around with you. But if you do want a small book on dementia that can be easily carried around with you. This is it!

The book gives good solid advice that can be found quickly. This is a great read with good reference points for a dementia carer that is looking for information.

The Authors are Dawn Broker & Sue Lillyman.

The book gives a good overall information on subjects like Person-centered dementia care. Communication and managing behaviour. Pain assessment. Nutrition and medication. Advanced care plans and many other subjects.

Dementia Care. Nursing and Health Survival Guides has over 118 reviews and scores a respectable 4.6 on Amazon.


More Books for Carers to Read

There are many books with information about dementia you can buy. Many offer the carer and those living with the disease good reads and provide great information. There are way to many books on dementia for us to review all of them, so we have included a few of the other popular choices here