Improving quality of life for the elderly with learning disabilities

Both the foreword and introduction of this book pose a dilemma that sits at the heart of study and research into the relationship between intellectual disability and dementia: how do we take research into practice when there is a limited amount of evidence to build upon? It is to the credit of Dr Karen Watchman, and the other contributors to this book, that they have managed to provide a wealth of information, evidence and research to aid service providers, commissioners, and practitioners involved in this area of clinical practice.

The early parts of the book are clearly illustrative of the authors’ intention. The organisation of the content is contemporary in addressing ‘what’ we know of this condition, but also in examining the experience and personal accounts of people with an intellectual disability and dementia, as well as the experiences and accounts of their families. The final part of the book explores what can be done to take forward a redesign of the current provision of services.