Rethinking Communication guide to advanced dementia

series, called Sabre Tooth Tigers and Teddy Bears . We rarely think about attachment in relation to dementia. This is ironic given that it can go a long way towards helping us make sense of the behaviours that emerge as dementia becomes more severe. The brain can no longer keep track of the rhythms of the day. Moving to a care home means that sounds, smells, light and textures no longer feel familiar and safe. Loved ones may not visit on a regular, or even predictable, basis. New relationships must be made with staff and other residents who are strangers. All of these changes call on the attachment system. Dementia inherently brings with it anxiety. Helping people to cope with dementia means helping to calm their anxieties. When we recognise