Introduction: Rehabilitation as a new way of working with people with dementia

We are transitioning to a new era relating to how we treat, support, and work with people with dementia as clinicians, service providers, policymakers, and researchers.
I (Lee-Fay) began my career 20 years ago as a home care worker for people with dementia with “challenging behaviors,” and as a research assistant in a psychogeriatric unit with a drug trials team. In that world people with dementia were clients, patients, and subjects.
My (Kate) first job as an occupational therapy graduate was on an aged care ward at a large hospital. Most of my time was spent assessing and planning for hospital discharge by organizing home supports. Treatment of symptoms of dementia and education of families were not considered to be part of my role.