Excellence in Dementia Care: Research into Practice was launched at this year’s Annual Meeting of the British Society of Gerontology. The book is co-edited by a former member of the British Society of Gerontology executive, Professor Murna Downs, Chair in Dementia Studies and Head of the University of Bradford’s Dementia Group, and a new international member to the BSG, Professor Barbara Bowers, Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean for Research at University of Wisconsin at Madison. This timely textbook addresses concerns raised by the recently published National Dementia Strategy, currently out for consultation, which emphasises the need for an informed and effective workforce in dementia care. One approach recommended in the strategy is to ensure that everyone working with people with dementia have access to continuing professional development programmes and knowledge and skills training.

This text provides an overview of evidence-based best practice in dementia care – adopting a contemporary definition of what is meant by evidence. It will serve as a useful textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students working in health and social care who need to develop specialist knowledge and skills in dementia care as well as being a useful resource for those involved in training and education of health and social care professionals. It will serve as a useful guide to those charged with leading and managing change in care practices and services for people with dementia and their families as it proposes several routes to ensuring sustainable change in mainstream practice.

Excellence in Dementia Care: Research in to Practice is priced at £29.99 and available from Open University Press.