Social workers occupy positions in a broad array of practice settings. They utilize a range of practice skills to effect positive change and growth to address social problems and this work is done in partnership with individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities. Their work is informed by a unique set of values which balance competent service and integrity with a deep commitment to social justice, upholding the dignity and worth of each person, and celebrating the importance of human relationships. Neurocognitive disorder, or dementia, is a syndrome creating devastation in nearly every domain of human existence for those afflicted, with serious negative impacts which reverberate through families, communities, and society. As such, dementia should be understood as a bio-psycho-social-environmental phenomenon. The overall purpose of this entry is to prepare readers for effective practice with diverse individuals with dementia and their families from across practice settings. In order to understand and to respond effectively to the needs of their clients, social workers must appreciate the complex interactions of disease pathology, individual strengths, environmental conditions, informal supports, formal resources, and societal influences. For those social workers who serve people living with dementia, a comprehensive knowledge of dementia causes, symptoms, progressive prognosis, assessment and care techniques, and biopsychosocial-environmental considerations is an essential complement to the social work practice knowledge base. They must be able to identify the most appropriate, evidence-informed intervention options for clients throughout the unpredictable stages of dementia, as well as the benefits and limitations of the full array of formal support systems. This bibliography entry is organized into lists of essential texts and articles on social work practice skills and principles of dementia care, formal care services and family caregiving, effective and evidence-based interventions and communication techniques, safety assessment, stimulating activities, environmental considerations, and self-care and social support for the person with dementia. Many of the books and articles listed herein are written by the leading scholars in the area of dementia care, and any reader who is familiar with this area of practice is likely to recognize many of these authors’ names from the large body of literature which has informed dementia care for the past three decades.
Integrating music therapy with social work practice in a home-based program of dementia care: a participatory action research in China / Integración de la Musicoterapia con la práctica del trabajo social en un programa basado en el cuidado en el hogar de
