Living with a person with dementia: An A-Z of strategies for successful support
Recently published in July 2025, this is Bernie’s latest book on dementia care. It is written for carers at home. You can purchase it online. Available in softcover or e-book.
This book is full of valuable guidance and support as you navigate the transition from intimate relationship to the role of compassionate caregiver. It explores the foundations of understanding the person with dementia and the daily challenges they may encounter, while also offering insights that help caregivers to forge a healthy approach to understanding their loved ones and themselves. The second part of the book is an A-Z exploration of issues that caregivers face when living with a person with dementia.
Each chapter is skilfully interwoven with real-life anecdotes that will enhance the readers understanding and connection to the material, making this the perfect resource for family caregivers of people with dementia.
‘Hearing the Person wit
h Dementia: Person-centred approaches to communication for families and caregivers,’ by clinical psychologist, dementia consultant and educator Bernie McCarthy, is in its third print and continues to be a favourite with people caring for another who is living with dementia. In 2015 it was chosen for inclusion in the Reading Agency’s Reading Well Books on Prescription for Dementia Scheme, which was rolled out across England in 2015
Losing the ability to communicate can be a frustrating and difficult experience for people living with dementia, their families and carers. As the illness progresses, the person with dementia may find it increasingly difficult to express themselves clearly and to understand what others say.
Intended both for family and professional carers this book clearly explains what happens to the part of the brain the controls communication as dementia progresses, how this may affect an individual’s memory, language and senses, and how carers need to adapt their approach as a result.
Advocating a person-centred approach to dementia care, McCarthy describes methods of verbal and non-verbal communication, techniques for communicating with people who can no longer speak or move, and strategies for communicating more effectively in specific situations, including at mealtimes, whilst helping the person with dementia to dress, and whilst out and about.
Exercises at the end of each chapter encourage the carer to reflect on their learning and apply it to their own circumstances, and guidelines for creating a life story with the person with dementia to promote good communication are also included.
The book is based on Bernie McCarthy’s 25 years experience ‘of working to support carers of people living with dementia at home and in residential care.’
Bernie McCarthy has presented internationally and nationally on caring for the person with dementia and writes about ‘the powerful effect of good communication in reaching a person previously thought to be ‘unreachable’ because of cognitive impairment.’
Purchase online in paperback or e-book.
Media for the book
Life Matters – ABC Radio National
Download this mp3 file (link below) to listen to Bernie McCarthy talking with Richard Adey on Life Matters on Radio National today. They are discussing Bernie’s recently published book Hearing the person with dementia: Person centred approaches to communication for families and caregivers.
Radio National interview 25052011
Richard Stubbs in the afternoon – ABC Radio 774
Download this mp3 file (link below) to listen to Richard Stubbs on 774 ABC Melbourne talking with Bernie McCarthy about his book Hearing the person with dementia: Person centred approaches to communication for families and caregivers.
Richard Stubbs talks to Bernie McCarthy 23.05.2011
Elaine Harris – ABC Radio Northern Tasmania
Listen to Bernie McCarthy talking about person-centred communication with people who have dementia and about his book, “Hearing the person with dementia” in this interview with Elaine Harris of ABC Radio Northern Tasmania.