Joyce Simard, M.S.W., is a private geriatric
consultant to skilled nursing centres, assisted living communities,
and hospice organisations worldwide. She is also involved in
research projects investigating the effects of Namaste Care™ in
Australia and the United Kingdom. She earned her bachelor of arts
in sociology and social work from Ithaca College in New York, USA
and her master’s of social work from the University of Minnesota,
USA. She also serves as Adjunct Associate Professor at the School
of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Western Sydney,
Australia.
In addition to the Namaste Care program, Simard has developed other
programs for people with memory loss. The Memory Enhancement
Program (MEP) is for people experiencing memory loss above and
beyond what is normal for their age and education. Residents in
independent living and assisted living communities as well as those
who participate in adult day programs benefit from this unique
program. The Club is a program for residents in nursing facilities
and assisted living who have moderate memory loss. Its
implementation has resulted in a decrease in anti-psychotic
medications as well as a decline in resident falls and improved
staff and resident satisfaction.
Simard is the author of a children's book about aging and dementia,
The Magic Tape Recorder (2007), which was published in several
languages and is currently out of print.
Simard is an internationally recognised speaker who has presented
both to families of people with dementia and to health care
professionals in the United States, Europe, Australia and parts of
Asia. As a keynote or featured speaker at professional conferences,
she is known for bringing humour and a light touch to serious
subjects, teaching through stories of real experiences from her 35
years in health care. She also provides in-service training on a
variety of subjects, including hospice, bereavement, comfort care
and activity programs for people with all stages of dementia.
This book is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to use to apply the principles and examples of care. Any family member caring for a loved one with dementia would find this book just as valuable as the healthcare student or professional. Physicians, nurses, social workers, and long-term care administrators would find this book an excellent resource. The author is very knowledgeable, and is an active participant in the Namaste Care program." and "The best part of the book lies in the explicit descriptions of the methods used. This part is so engrossing that I forgot I was reading the book to review it. I was lost in the case studies and could visualize how effective a Namaste Care program would be.... As a hospice nurse and caregiver for my father who had dementia before he died, I was able to read this book with the insight of one who has "been there" and understands the magnitude of the problems faced by loved ones and professional caregivers. I wish I had known of this book (the first edition) when I was caring for my father." Doody's Book Reviews
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
