Person-Centered Dementia Care in the Community: A Perspective From the United Kingdom

Abstract

Dementia is a global concern. Although effort is being put toward finding a cure, many advances have been made in ensuring excellence in dementia care. In the United Kingdom, the concept of person-centered dementia care has transformed what is expected for individuals with dementia. Now embraced in national policy in the United Kingdom, it was pioneered by Thomas Kitwood and Kathleen Bredin and driven by a con-cern for the quality of care for indi-viduals with dementia in care homes. The purpose of the current article is to describe key concepts of Kitwood’s pioneering work in person-centered dementia care and to use them to inform current community-based supports and services for individuals with dementia in their own homes, whether alone or with family carers.