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The final conclusion to my book on living better with dementia
Anything can happen to anyone at any time. Despite all the best initiatives in the world, it will be unachievable to extinguish all negative perceptions about dementia. Nobody can deny the imperative for communities and society to be inclusive and accessible for people with dementia, but is no mean feat to rationalise with more individualistic approaches ranging from personal budgets, human rights and equality law responsibilities. It really is not a question of what a person can no longer do. It is an issue of what a person can currently do, and this might include, for example, unleashing of previously unwitnessed artistic and creative talents.
All jurisdictions converge on the right for a timely diagnosis and a right to timely post-diagnostic support, but political grandstanding over cures will be small change to those people currently wanting to live better with dementia. People who have received a diagnosis of dementia are not all consumers, and some do not even interact with health and care services as patients. They are all persons, however, and wish for inalienable dignity and respect. Everyone knows that the diagnosis affects not just the person with dementia,but their whole network of friends and family. There now must be a political will to do something about this, and this is not just a societal issue for the G7. Silos must be abolished; for example, in considering eating better with dementia, the emphasis can no longer be on the design of ‘finger snacks’, but responsible thought has to be put into how certain mealtime environments work (or do not work). It is utterly pointless talking about joining initiatives to encourage ‘dementia friendliness’, while words such as ‘victim’ continue to litter the mainstream press. And “leading” scientists and practitioners can unwittingly perpetuate stigma through somewhat perjorative language such as ‘wanderer’; the willful blindness to this must stop too. Living better with dementia is not just an aspiration; it is in many places legally enforceable.
Bring it on.
Journal references for my chapter on living well with dementia and urinary incontinence
I am yet to include influential blogposts, such as this one by Beth Britton (@BethyB1886).
But there is the core of my journal references which I intend to cite in my book chapter on living well with dementia and incontinence.
Please do let me know of any work, in whichever one of the media, you should like me to include. Very many thanks.
Abrams P, Blaivas J, Stanton S, Anderson J. The standardization of terminology of lower urinary tract function.Scand J Urol Nephrol 1988;(Suppl 1)14:5–10.
Afram B, Stephan A, Verbeek H, Bleijlevens MH, Suhonen R, Sutcliffe C, Raamat K, Cabrera E, Soto ME, Hallberg IR, Meyer G, Hamers JP; RightTimePlaceCare Consortium. Reasons for institutionalization of people with dementia: informal caregiver reports from 8 European countries. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2014 Feb;15(2):108-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2013.09.012. Epub 2013 Nov 12.
Allan L, McKeith I, Ballard C, Kenny RA. The prevalence of autonomic symptoms in dementia and their association with physical activity, activities of daily living and quality of life. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2006;22(3):230-7. Epub 2006 Aug 10.
Allen J, Oyebode JR, Allen J (2009) Having a father with young onset dementia: The impact on well-being of young people. Dementia. 8: 455-480.
Berrios G. Urinary incontinence and the psychopathology of the elderly with cognitive failure. Gerontology 1986;32:119–24.
Boustani MA, Sachs GA, Alder CA, Munger S, Schubert CC, Guerriero Austrom M, Hake AM, Unverzagt FW, Farlow M, Matthews BR, Perkins AJ, Beck RA, Callahan CM. Implementing innovative models of dementia care: The Healthy Aging Brain Center. Aging Ment Health. 2011 Jan;15(1):13-22. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2010.496445.
Brandeis GH, Baumann MM, Hossain M, Morris JN, Resnick NM. The prevalence of potentially remediable urinary incontinence in frail older people: a study using the Minimum Data Set. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1997 Feb;45(2):179-84.
Brocklehurst J, Dillane J. Studies of the female bladder in old age II: cystometrograms in 100 incontinent women. Gerontol Clin 1966;8:306–19.
Campbell A, Reinken J, McCosh L. Incontinence in the elderly: prevalence and prognosis. Age Ageing 1985;14:65–70.
Clarkson, P, Abendstern, M, Sutcliffe, C, Hughes, J, Challis, D. (2012) The identification and detection of dementia and its correlates in a social services setting: Impact of a national policy in England Dementia September 2012 vol. 11 no. 5 617-632
Downs M. Embodiment: the implications for living well with dementia. Dementia (London). 2013 May;12(3):368-74. doi: 10.1177/1471301213487465.
Drennan VM, Norrie C, Cole L, Donovan S. Addressing incontinence for people with dementia living at home: a documentary analysis of local English community nursing service continence policies and clinical guidance. J Clin Nurs. 2013 Feb;22(3-4):339-46. doi: 10.1111/j.1365
2702.2012.04125.x. Epub 2012 Jul 13.
Drennan, VM, Cole, L, Iliffe . A taboo within a stigma? a qualitative study of managing incontinence with people with dementia living at home, BMC Geriatrics 2011, 11:75
Drennan, VM, Greenwood, N, Cole, L, Fader, M, Grant, R, Rait, G, Iliffe, S. Conservative interventions for incontinence in people with dementia or cognitive impairment, living at home: a systematic review BMC Geriatrics 2012, 12:77 doi:10.1186/1471-2318-12-77
Ebly EM, Hogan DB, Rockwood K. Living alone with dementia. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 1999 Nov-Dec;10(6):541-8.
Eggermont L H, Scherder E J. Physical activity and behaviour in dementia: a review of the literature and implications for psychosocial intervention in primary care. Dementia 2006; 5(3): 4 1-428.
Ekelund P, Rundgren A. Urinary incontinence in the elderly with implications for hospital care consumption and social disability. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 1987 Apr;6(1):11-8.
Evans D, Lee E. Impact of dementia on marriage: a qualitative systematic review. Dementia (London). 2014 May;13(3):330-49. doi: 10.1177/1471301212473882. Epub 2013 Jan 25.
Flint A, Skelly J. The management of urinary incontinence in dementia. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1994;9:245–6.
Hägglund D. A systematic literature review of incontinence care for persons with dementia: the research evidence. J Clin Nurs. 2010 Feb;19(3-4):303-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1365 2702.2009.02958.x.
Hasegawa J, Kuzuya M, Iguchi A. Urinary incontinence and behavioral symptoms are independent risk factors for recurrent and injurious falls, respectively, among residents in long term care facilities. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2010 Jan-Feb;50(1):77-81. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2009.02.001. Epub 2009 Mar 17.
Hellström L, Ekelund P, Milsom I, Skoog I. The influence of dementia on the prevalence of urinary and faecal incontinence in 85-year-old men and women. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 1994 Jul-Aug;19(1):11-20.
Hirasawa, Y, Masuda, Y, Kuzuya, M, Kimata, T, Iguchi, A, Uemura, K. End-o life experience of demented elderly patients at home: findings from DEATH project. Psychogeriatrics, Volume 6, Issue 2, pages 60–67, June 2006
Hirsh D, Fainstein C, Musher D. Do condom catheter collecting systems cause urinary tract infection? JAMA 1979;242:340.
Idiaquez J, Roman GC. Autonomic dysfunction in neurodegenerative dementias. J Neurol Sci. 2011 Jun 15;305(1-2):22-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2011.02.033. Epub 2011 Mar 25. Review.
Iltanen-Tähkävuori, S. Design and dementia: A case of garments designed to prevent undressing. Dementia January 2012 vol. 11 no. 1 49-59
Jirovec M. Urine control in patients with chronic degenerative brain disease. In: Altman H ed. Alzheimer’s disease problems: prospects and perspectives. New York: Plenium Press, 1986.
Jirovec MM, Wells TJ. Urinary incontinence in nursing home residents with dementia: the mobility-cognition paradigm. Appl Nurs Res. 1990 Aug;3(3):112-7.
Kraemer HC, Taylor JL, Tinklenberg JR, Yesavage JA.The stages of Alzheimer’s disease: a reappraisal. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 1998 Nov-Dec;9(6):299-308.
Kraijo, H, Brouwer, W, de Leeuw, R, Schrijvers, G.Coping with caring: Profiles of caregiving by informal carers living with a loved one who has dementia. Dementia November 7, 2011 1471301211421261
Leung FW, Schnelle JF. Urinary and fecal incontinence in nursing home residents. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2008 Sep;37(3):697-707, x. doi: 10.1016/j.gtc.2008.06.005. Review
Lussier M, Renaud M, Chiva-Razavi S, Bherer L, Dumoulin C. Are stress and mixed urinary incontinence associated with impaired executive control in community-dwelling older women? J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2013;35(5):445-54. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2013.789483. Epub 2013 May 8.
Måvall, L, Malmberg, B. Day care for persons with dementia. An alternative for whom? Dementia February 2007 vol. 6 no. 1 27-43
Mo F, Choi BC, Li FC, Merrick J. Using Health Utility Index (HUI) for measuring the impact on health-related quality of Life (HRQL) among individuals with chronic diseases. ScientificWorldJournal. 2004 Aug 27;4:746-57.
O’Donnell BF, Drachman DA, Barnes HJ, Peterson KE, Swearer JM, Lew RA. Incontinence and troublesome behaviors predict institutionalization in dementia. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 1992 Jan-Mar;5(1):45-52.
Orrell M, Hancock GA, Liyanage KC, Woods B, Challis D, Hoe J. The needs of people with dementia in care homes: the perspectives of users, staff and family caregivers. Int Psychogeriatr. 2008 Oct;20(5):941-51. doi: 10.1017/S1041610208007266. Epub 2008 Apr 17.
Ouslander J, Leach G, Staskin D, Abelson S, Blaustein J, Morishita L, Raz S. Prospective evaluation of an assessment strategy for geriatric urinary incontinence. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1989 Aug;37(8):715-24.
Rabins P, Mace N, Lucas M. The impact of dementia on the family. JAMA 1982;248:333–5.
Rai, J, Parkinson, R. Urinary incontinence in adults/ Surgery Volume 32, Issue 6, p286–291
Resnick, NM: “Urinary incontinence in the elderly.” Medical Grand Rounds 3:281-290, 1984.
Sakakibara R, Uchiyama T, Yamanishi T, Kishi M. Dementia and lower urinary dysfunction: with a reference to anticholinergic use in elderly population. Int J Urol. 2008 Sep;15(9):778-88. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2008.02109.x. Epub 2008 Jul 14.
Skelly J, Flint A. Urinary incontinence associated with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 1995;43:286–94.
Tadros G, Ormerod S, Dobson-Smyth P, Gallon M, Doherty D, Carryer A, Oyebode J, Kingston P. The management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residential homes: does Tai Chi have any role for people with dementia? Dementia (London). 2013 Mar;12(2):268-79. doi: 10.1177/1471301211422769. Epub 2011 Nov 20. Review.
Teri L, Borson S, Kiyak HA, Yamagishi M. Behavioral disturbance, cognitive dysfunction, and functional skill. Prevalence and relationship in Alzheimer’s disease. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1989 Feb;37(2):109-16.
Tilvis RS, Hakala SM, Valvanne J, Erkinjuntti T. Urinary incontinence as a predictor of death and institutionalization in a general aged population. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 1995 Nov Dec;21(3):307-15.
Toot S, Hoe J, Ledgerd R, Burnell K, Devine M, Orrell M. Causes of crises and appropriate interventions: the views of people with dementia, carers and healthcare professionals. Aging Ment Health. 2013;17(3):328-35. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2012.732037. Epub 2012 Nov 16.
Ward R, Campbell S. Mixing methods to explore appearance in dementia care. Dementia (London). 2013 May;12(3):337-47. doi: 10.1177/1471301213477412. Epub 2013 Feb 26.
Yap P, Tan D. (2006) Urinary incontinence in dementia – a practical approach, Aust Fam Physician, 35(4), pp. 237-41.
Yokoi T, Okamura H. Why do dementia patients become unable to lead a daily life with decreasing cognitive function? Dementia (London). 2013 Sep;12(5):551-68. doi: 10.1177/1471301211435193. Epub 2012 Mar 16.
The chapter on art, music and creativity for my new book on living better with dementia
The following are the journal references for my chapter on art, music and creativity for my book “Living better with dementia: champions for enhanced friendly communities”. Please do let me know if you wish to have any further academic papers cited. And also please do let me know if you wish local initiatives or innovations to be featured in my chapter, and I will do my best to include them if appropriate.
Very many thanks.
Amaducci L, Grassi E, Boller F. Maurice Ravel and right-hemisphere musical creativity: influence of disease on his last musical works? Eur J Neurol. 2002 Jan;9(1):75-82.
Basaglia-Pappas S, Laterza M, Borg C, Richard-Mornas A, Favre E, Thomas-Antérion C. Exploration of verbal and non-verbal semantic knowledge and autobiographical memories starting from popular songs in Alzheimer’s disease. Int Psychogeriatr. 2013 May;25(5):785-95. doi: 10.1017/S1041610212002359. Epub 2013 Feb 7.
Beard, R.L. Art therapies and dementia care: A systematic review 2012 11: 633-656.
Bisiani L, Angus J. Doll therapy: a therapeutic means to meet past attachment needs and diminish behaviours of concern in a person living with dementia–a case study approach. Dementia (London). 2013 Jul;12(4):447-62. doi: 10.1177/1471301211431362. Epub 2012 Feb 15.
Blood AJ, Zatorre RJ. Intensely pleasurable responses to music correlate with activity in brain regions implicated in reward and emotion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Sep 25;98(20):11818-23.
Budrys V, Skullerud K, Petroska D, Lengveniene J, Kaubrys G. Dementia and art: neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease and dissolution of artistic creativity. Eur Neurol. 2007;57(3):137-44. Epub 2007 Jan 10.
Camic PM, Chatterjee HJ. Museums and art galleries as partners for public health interventions. Perspect Public Health. 2013 Jan;133(1):66-71. doi: 10.1177/1757913912468523.
Camic PM, Tischler V, Pearman CH. Viewing and making art together: a multi-session art gallery-based intervention for people with dementia and their carers. Aging Ment Health. 2014 Mar;18(2):161-8. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.818101. Epub 2013 Jul 22.
Camic PM, Williams CM, Meeten F. Does a ‘Singing Together Group’ improve the quality of life of people with a dementia and their carers? A pilot evaluation study. Dementia (London). 2013 Mar;12(2):157-76. doi: 10.1177/1471301211422761. Epub 2011 Oct 31.
Chakravarty A. De novo development of artistic creativity in Alzheimer’s disease. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2011 Oct;14(4):291-4. doi: 10.4103/0972-2327.91953.
Crutch SJ, Isaacs R, Rossor MN. Some workmen can blame their tools: artistic change in an individual with Alzheimer’s disease. Lancet. 2001 Jun 30;357(9274):2129-33.
Eekelaar, C., Camic, P. M., Springham, N. Art galleries, episodic memory and verbal fluency in dementia: An exploratory study. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, Vol 6(3), Aug 2012, 262-272.
Fletcher PD, Clark CN, Warren JD. Music, reward and frontotemporal dementia. Brain. 2014 Oct;137(Pt 10):e300. doi: 10.1093/brain/awu145. Epub 2014 Jun 11.
Fletcher PD, Downey LE, Witoonpanich P, Warren JD. The brain basis of musicophilia: evidence from frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Front Psychol. 2013 Jun 21;4:347. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00347. eCollection 2013.
Fornazzari LR. Preserved painting creativity in an artist with Alzheimer’s disease. Eur J Neurol. 2005 Jun;12(6):419-24.
Gjengedal E, Lykkeslet E, Sørbø JI, Sæther WH. ‘Brightness in dark places': theatre as an arena for communicating life with dementia. Dementia (London). 2014 Sep;13(5):598-612. doi: 10.1177/1471301213480157. Epub 2013 Mar 13.
Gold K. But does it do any good? Measuring the impact of music therapy on people with advanced dementia: (Innovative practice). Dementia (London). 2014 Mar 1;13(2):258-64. doi: 10.1177/1471301213494512. Epub 2013 Jul 26.
Gordon N. Unexpected development of artistic talents. Postgrad Med J. 2005 Dec;81(962):753-5.
Gross SM, Danilova D, Vandehey MA, Diekhoff GM. Creativity and dementia: Does artistic activity affect well-being beyond the art class? Dementia (London). 2013 May 22. [Epub ahead of print]
Guétin S, Portet F, Picot MC, Pommié C, Messaoudi M, Djabelkir L, Olsen AL, Cano MM, Lecourt E, Touchon J. Effect of music therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with Alzheimer’s type dementia: randomised, controlled study. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2009;28(1):36-46. doi: 10.1159/000229024. Epub 2009 Jul 23.
Hafford-Letchfield T. Funny things happen at the Grange: introducing comedy activities in day services to older people with dementia–innovative practice. Dementia (London). 2013 Nov;12(6):840-52. doi: 10.1177/1471301212454357. Epub 2012 Jul 9.
Holland AC, Kensinger EA. Emotion and autobiographical memory. Phys Life Rev. 2010 Mar;7(1):88-131. doi: 10.1016/j.plrev.2010.01.006. Epub 2010 Jan 11. Review.
Hsieh S, Hornberger M, Piguet O, Hodges JR. Neural basis of music knowledge: evidence from the dementias. Brain. 2011 Sep;134(Pt 9):2523-34. doi: 10.1093/brain/awr190. Epub 2011 Aug 21.
James IA, Mackenzie L, Mukaetova-Ladinska E. Doll use in care homes for people with dementia. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;21(11):1093-8.
Janata P. The neural architecture of music-evoked autobiographical memories. Cereb Cortex. 2009 Nov;19(11):2579-94. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhp008. Epub 2009 Feb 24.
LaBar KS, Cabeza R. Cognitive neuroscience of emotional memory. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2006 Jan;7(1):54-64. Review.
Lazar A, Thompson H, Demiris G. A systematic review of the use of technology for reminiscence therapy. Health Educ Behav. 2014 Oct;41(1 Suppl):51S-61S. doi: 10.1177/1090198114537067.
Mezirow J. (2000) Learning to think like an adult. In J. Mezirow and Associates, Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in process. (pp. 3-33). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Miller BL, Boone K, Cummings JL, Read SL, Mishkin F. Functional correlates of musical and visual ability in frontotemporal dementia. Br J Psychiatry. 2000 May;176:458-63.
Miller BL, Cummings J, Mishkin F, Boone K, Prince F, Ponton M, Cotman C. Emergence of artistic talent in frontotemporal dementia. Neurology. 1998 Oct;51(4):978-82.
Miller, B.L., Yener, G, Akdal, G. (2005) Artistic patterns in dementia, Journal of Neurological Sciences (Turkish), vol. 22(3), pp. 245-249.
Mitchell G, McCormack B, McCance T. Therapeutic use of dolls for people living with dementia: A critical review of the literature. Dementia August 25, 2014 1471301214548522.
Mitchell G, McCormack B, McCance T. Therapeutic use of dolls for people living with dementia: A critical review of the literature. Dementia (London). 2014 Aug 25. pii: 1471301214548522. [Epub ahead of print]
Mitchell G, Templeton M. Ethical considerations of doll therapy for people with dementia. Nurs Ethics. 2014 Sep;21(6):720-30. doi: 10.1177/0969733013518447. Epub 2014 Feb 3.
Omar R, Hailstone JC, Warren JE, Crutch SJ, Warren JD. The cognitive organization of music knowledge: a clinical analysis. Brain. 2010 Apr;133(Pt 4):1200-13. doi: 10.1093/brain/awp345. Epub 2010 Feb 8.
Pezzati R, Molteni V, Bani M, Settanta C, Di Maggio MG, Villa I, Poletti B, Ardito RB. Can Doll therapy preserve or promote attachment in people with cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems? A pilot study in institutionalized patients with dementia. Front Psychol. 2014 Apr 21;5:342. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00342. eCollection 2014.
Ramachandran, VS, Hirstein, (1999) The science of art: a neurological theory of aesthetic experience. Journal of Consciousness Studies (6), no.6-7, pp.15-51.
Rankin KP, Liu AA, Howard S, Slama H, Hou CE, Shuster K, Miller BL. A case-controlled study of altered visual art production in Alzheimer’s and FTLD. Cogn Behav Neurol. 2007 Mar;20(1):48 61.
Roe B, McCormick S, Lucas T, Gallagher W, Winn A, Elkin S. Coffee, Cake & Culture: Evaluation of an art for health programme for older people in the community. Dementia (London). 2014 Mar 31. [Epub ahead of print]
Salimpoor VN, Benovoy M, Longo G, Cooperstock JR, Zatorre RJ. The rewarding aspects of music listening are related to degree of emotional arousal. PLoS One. 2009 Oct 16;4(10):e7487. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007487.
Seeley WW, Matthews BR, Crawford RK, Gorno-Tempini ML, Foti D, Mackenzie IR, Miller BL. Unravelling Boléro: progressive aphasia, transmodal creativity and the right posterior neocortex. Brain. 2008 Jan;131(Pt 1):39-49. Epub 2007 Dec 5.
Stevens, J 2012, ‘Stand up for dementia: performance, improvisation and stand up comedy as therapy for people with dementia; a qualitative study’, Dementia, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 61-73.
Takahata K, Saito F, Muramatsu T, Yamada M, Shirahase J, Tabuchi H, Suhara T, Mimura M, Kato M. Emergence of realism: Enhanced visual artistry and high accuracy of visual numerosity representation after left prefrontal damage. Neuropsychologia. 2014 May;57:38-49. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.02.022. Epub 2014 Mar 11.
Takeda M, Hashimoto R, Kudo T, Okochi M, Tagami S, Morihara T, Sadick G, Tanaka T. Laughter and humor as complementary and alternative medicines for dementia patients. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010 Jun 18;10:28. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-10-28.
Tanaka, Y, Nogawa, H, Tanaka, H. (2012) Music Therapy with Ethnic Music for Dementia Patients, International Journal of Gerontology Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2012, Pages 247 257.
Topo, P, Mäki,O, Saarikalle, K, Clarke, N, Begley, E, Cahill, S, Arenlind, J, Holthe, T, Morbey, H, Hayes, K, Gilliard, J. Dementia October 2004 Assessment of a Music-Based Multimedia Program for People with Dementia vol. 3 no. 3 331-350
Woods RT, Bruce E, Edwards RT, Elvish R, Hoare Z, Hounsome B, Keady J, Moniz-Cook ED, Orgeta V, Orrell M, Rees J, Russell IT. REMCARE: reminiscence groups for people with dementia and their family caregivers – effectiveness and cost-effectiveness pragmatic multicenter randomised trial. Health Technol Assess. 2012;16(48):v-xv, 1-116. doi: 10.3310/hta16480.
Zeilig H. Gaps and spaces: representations of dementia in contemporary British poetry. Dementia (London). 2014 Mar 1;13(2):160-75. doi: 10.1177/1471301212456276. Epub 2012 Aug 17.
Foreword to my book 'Living well with dementia' by Prof John Hodges
This is the Foreword to my book entitled ‘Living well with dementia‘, a 18-chapter book looking at the concept of living well in dementia, and practical ways in which it might be achieved. Whilst the book is written by me (Shibley), I am honoured that the Foreword is written by Prof John Hodges.
Prof Hodges’ biography is as follows:
John Hodges trained in medicine and psychiatry in London, Southampton and Oxford before gravitating to neurology and becoming enamoured by neuropsychology. In 1990, he was appointed a University Lecturer in Cambridge and in 1997 became MRC Professor of Behaviour Neurology. A sabbatical in Sydney in 2002 with Glenda Halliday rekindled a love of sea, sun and surf which culminated in a move here in 2007. He has written over 400 papers on aspects of neuropsychology (especially memory and languages) and dementia, plus six books. He is building a multidisciplinary research group focusing on aspects of frontotemporal dementia.
Many posts like this have originally appeared on the blog of the ‘Socialist Health Association’. For a biography of the author (Shibley), please go here.
Shibley’s CV is here.
A free systematic way to prepare for the online verbal reasoning test for training contract applications
To be frank, you are most likely to have to sit an online verbal reasoning test at some stage in an application to a corporate firm for a training contract. Even if you manage to escape one at the time of submission of your online application form, you are likely to have to do one as a precursor to an interview, or part of an assessment day. You might even have to do two online verbal reasoning tests; one in your time, and one ‘under exam conditions’. It’s probably fair to say that the test will be administered on behalf of the corporate firm by SHL or Kenexa; this test has a ‘true’, ‘false’ or ‘cannot say’ format. Some, including one Magic Circle firm, have used the Watson-Glaser Critical Reasoning Test, which you are likely to do in the head office of that corporate firm instead. Here is a suggested route from ‘Legal Recruit’, an initiative by students in the BPP Legal Awareness Society, but it’s important to note that this training is not a product of BPP, nor endorsed by BPP. We hope, in our Society, hope that you find these free materials helpful, anyway.
Introductory video to an online verbal reasoning test
Factsheet on the online verbal reasoning test
Examples of questions of a verbal reasoning test
150 examples of verbal reasoning test questions
A free full-length practice verbal reasoning test for you to try [you can only do this if you are a graduate and speak English fluently.]
Answers to the trial (only to look at if you’ve done the trial)
Best of luck! We hope it goes well for you.
Prize competition – spot the mistakes in a blog post
Walaa Idris, in her popular blog, posted an article as advice for the blogger Darren Bridgeman.
Bad spelling and grammar are evident in all our blog posts. Walaa offered this really helpful advice:
My advice, as someone who knows how you feel, because I felt embarrassed whenever I misspelled words and made such obvious mistakes, but I found although some who correct me do it for their own self satisfaction, most truly care and just want to help me. Even though I continue to correct and pay extra attention to every word I type, still, I make many mistakes. Somehow I feel like the Ambassador of all the poor English speakers and writers and as such feel it is my duty to ask you to reconsider – so please rethink your decision.
Here is the text of a mythical blog post. There are at least 14 errors in it, identified in Simon Heffer’s “Strictly English” as common grammatical errors in the English language. It may be purchased from Amazon here.
Blog post by Troubleblogger
This week has been an extraordinary week in British politics. For example, one blogger has alleged that a Tory MP has left his wife for a woman, while she is fighting malignant melanoma.
Yesterday, there was a very interesting debate in the House of Commons on student finance. The excellent discussion demonstrated the problems of making policy in a Coalition government. The difficulties is probably compounded by the fact that Vince Cable is using data which is probably out-of-date. The thing is that none of the options for the future of student finance are credible.
Some of the options proposed to Lord Brown are inforgettable. To be fair, I would of thought that some of the options proposed would have seemed impressive to the Institute of Fiscal Studies. However, raising tuition fees is now a distinct possibility following the Browne Report. The problem is that Clegg said that he would not never go there.
In terms of feedback, the Labour Party must be feeling good. The concertos of criticism from Liberal Democrat voters were not nice to listen to. In a sense, it was if Miliband was trying to collapse a house of cards. Some commentators just got personal. For example, yesterday, some people, working for the Times especially, called Vince Cable ‘an ugly monster’, but this is perhaps tad unfair. I wonder what Andy Marr would have made of that?
It is difficult to know who came out of worst – Clegg or Cable. Some think it’s better if Cable had quitted his cabinet post, given his beliefs. Commentators wrote on Cable giving his speech whilst being transmitted on Sky.
There’ll be a debate on it: I don’t know if I’ll go. Under the circumstances, it should be interesting, don’t you think?
You can download the text of the blog post Blog poste.
Have a go at spotting the mistakes in them. Feel free to email your entries to Dr Shibley Rahman, management@lawandmedicine.co.uk
The winning entry will get a copy of this book, Iain Dale’s Guide to Political Blogging in the UK. with no expenses spared!
Alternatively, you can, again, buy it off Amazon UK.
Dr Shibley Rahman
Queen’s Scholar, BA (1st.), MA, MB, BChir, PhD, MRCP(UK), LLB(Hons.), FRSA
Director of Law and Medicine Limited
Member of the Fabian Society and Associate of the Institute of Directors
