The applicability of a recovery approach to nursing people with dementia

Objectives: Recent developments in nursing to people with mental health conditions of working age have been underpinned by the recovery approach. This paper critically reviews the idea of recovery in relationship to people with dementia and examines its applicability to dementia care nursing. Design: The paper critically reviews literature relating to the use recovery approach and the people with dementia, particularly their nursing care. The paper identifies common ideas within two approaches and suggests how the recovery approach may underpin nursing care to people with dementia. Data sources: A search of CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO was undertaken from 1987 onwards using keywords 'recovery', 'nursing' and 'dementia'. Results: The paper found that the recovery approach shares many ideas with person-centred approaches to dementia care and illustrates this in relationship to well-being, social inclusion, self-management, and hope. Conclusion: The paper concludes by suggesting that dementia care nursing should draw on ideas taken from the recovery approach and identifies each approach drawing on ideas that have come together in postpsychiatry. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.