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Timely Responses to Dementia

Exploring the Social Work Role

King’s College London and Royal Free University College London, England, jill.manthorpe{at}kcl.ac.uk

Steve Iliffe

King’s College London and Royal Free University College London, England

Summary: Little attention has been paid to the impact of early recognition of dementia on mental health social work. This paper reports a small study of the views of 20 social workers employed by an English social services department to set out possible agendas for debate about the role of mental health social work in this area. A modified nominal group methodology was used in a workshop undertaken as part of a regular series of information and training days, to elicit participants’ experiences of the early recognition of dementia and any anticipation about their future role.

Findings: We identified three main themes from these social workers’ experiences and perceptions: diagnostic and prognostic skills; the impact of resource availability on professional activity; and a disability model of dementia.

Application: Specialist social workers working within dementia teams may have much to contribute and may find the emergence of such teams enables them to exercise their therapeutic, communication and problem-solving skills.

Key Words: dementia recognition • early dementia • social work • social services

Journal of Social Work, Vol. 5, No. 2, 191-203 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1468017305054973


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