Inspired by my own mum, who has been living with Dementia for almost 6 years, To Know Me is a beautiful, simple, hard-backed photo and text book which includes a mini-biography and a personalised care guide.The book is created by individuals and families, through online software which is downloaded directly from the website www.toknowme.org, The book is intended to be of great value when seeking to offer truly person-centred care to people who can no longer clearly express themselves.
The books are created through adding photographs and text to the attractive pages to build a picture of the person to whom the book belongs, embracing their life story, spirit, preferences and needs. The finished book allows carers and medical professionals to quickly and simply learn more about the social, emotional and practical needs of the person in their care (very much in line with the 6C's)
The unique feature of the book is in its simplicity. It ventures beyond life story work by also offering a personal, practical insight into the best ways to ensure that the individual experiences the highest quality of person-centred care and support, according to their needs, and in a simple, portable and non-clinical format which can accompany the individual to any care setting, and of which they can be very proud.
A couple of testimonials:
‘This is a great book that was easy to put together. I feel at ease now, not having to worry about that part of my life, knowing that I shall have some memories in the book’.
‘It is very comforting to have such a special book about your loved one, so other people can share, understand and embrace their needs and concerns when they themselves are unable to do so’.
The Lead Dementia Nurse at my local hospital said she felt that the books would be extremely useful when accompanying patients with into hospital, accessible at the bedside, for nurses and doctors to use to better connect with their patients and quickly establish a bond.
In the longer term, as the issue of person-centred care is certainly high on everyone’s agenda in improving quality of care, I hope the books will become ‘the norm’, where caregivers routinely reach for a patient or resident’s To Know Me book in an effort to get to know more about them.