West Sussex Dementia Care Manager Heads To Geneva To Discuss Grief In Dementia

Friday, 4 October 2024 10:59

By Dominic Kureen @WriteOnDom

Amy Pepper, HC-One dementia care manager

A West Sussex dementia care manager is set to speak at the world-leading Alzheimer Europe Conference 2024 about the “under researched” area of anticipatory grief, loss and adjustment for people living with dementia.

She will also focus on how those involved providing care can be more confident in supporting people living with dementia who experience this type of grief.

Amy Pepper, from Burgess Hill, West Sussex, will attend the 34th Alzheimer Europe Conference "New horizons – Innovating for dementia", which will take place from October 8 to 10, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Amy will be speaking on Tuesday, October 8, where she will reveal that there has so far been little research on the experience and impact of anticipatory grief in people with dementia associated with receiving the diagnosis.

Amy believes it is an area that needs further research.

Amy will speak about how people can experience a grief reaction upon receiving a dementia diagnosis, which could be related to a loss of identity, losses anticipated in the future, such as a loss of independence and functional ability, and for those experiencing young onset dementia a loss of their predicted future (eg: impacts on employment prospects and retirement plans).

People with dementia may also experience grief following a bereavement, and how a person understands or processes that bereavement may be complicated by the presence of dementia.

Better understanding of anticipatory grief in dementia will better equip those providing care to people living with dementia.

Through case studies and insights, Amy will seek to give practical examples of how to ensure people with dementia can be best supported to navigate these complex and challenges emotions.

Amy Pepper, Dementia Care Manager at HC-One, said:

“I am delighted to be a part of this year’s Alzheimer Europe Conference 2024 in Geneva to share my work and ideas with an international audience. It is crucial that we shine a light on the under researched aspect of dementia.

“People with dementia can experience a anticipatory grief related to potential future losses, as well as grief associated with loss and bereavement. It is important to highlight this experience which can have a huge impact on wellbeing.

“I hope my presentation will help highlight the approaches that work to support people with dementia, which will encourage more research in this area.”