Remaining as wise and relevant as it ever was, this updated second edition brings professional care partners a wealth of new advice on how to incorporate the celebrated tenets of Best Friends™ into the everyday care of people with dementia. Using the best qualities of friendship—respect, empathy, support, trust, and humor—you can ensure the highest quality of life for the people in your care, making each day reassuring, enjoyable, and secure.

In addition to explaining the basic elements of communication and caregiving Knack that are essential to the Best Friends approach, this revised edition includes all-new chapters on using the life story, planning activities, being successful when behaviors become challenging, getting the best from families and volunteers, and effectively creating and sustaining a Best Friends program.

What’s New?

The 2nd edition is substantially reorganized for the benefit of professional care partners and it features an all-new final section:

Part 1:

Introduces the building blocks of the Best Friends™ approach, including the Dementia Bill of Rights, the concept of relationship-centered care, and the core tenets of Best Friends

Part 2:

Explains Best Friends in practice in formal care settings, with in-depth chapters on the life story, communication, caregiving Knack, activities, and challenging behavior.

Part 3:

Discusses how to create and sustain a Best Friends program as well as how to use volunteers and partner with families.