Working in a hospital environment predominantly with older people, I have met many who have been diagnosed with dementia. Dementia is a term used to describe symptoms caused by certain diseases or conditions of the brain of which there are two main types; Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia more commonly known as vascular dementia. Dementia is caused by the death of nerve cells in the brain that cannot be replaced, meaning dementia is a progressive condition that gets worse over time and cannot be reversed. It is also a long-term condition because it takes months or even years to progress and there is no effective cure. (Alzheimer's Society 2014) This degenerative condition is more common in older people, however it is important to recognize the complexity of dementia and how symptoms vary depending on the type of dementia the person experiences and that each person's experience of dementia is unique to them. Through dementia training delivered by my placement provider, Sefton Council, I have been able to demonstrate and apply to practice my dementia knowledge, taking into consideration, when communicating with this particular lady, that she may have cognitive abilities impairments that include, remembering, communicating, understanding, which in turn will affect his executive functions such as learning, reasoning, planning and evaluation. I was able to understand some of the common symptoms of dementia which helped me to inform my method of intervention and support my practice in line with the five statutory principles of the Mental Capability Act (2005). Murphy (1987:121) states that "dementia is a frightening word. It conjures up images of wild-eyed people running amok, violent and deranged. Nothing could be f...... middle of paper ...... dge: Polity PressThe Social Care Institute for Excellence. (2002) Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) prioritizing eligibility for care and support [online] available at: http://www.scie.org.uk/ publications/guides/guide33/files/guide33.pdf [ accessed 22 May 2014]Smale, G and Tuson, G. (1993) Empowerment, Assessment, care management and the Skilled Worker London: RoutledgeSmith, R (2010) Social work , risk, power. Sociological Research [online] 15(1) p.4 DOI:10.5153/sro.2101 [Accessed 12 May 2014]Swain, J. French, S. Barnes, C. Thomas, C. (2004) Disabling Barriers, Enabling Environments. London: SageThe Disability Discrimination Act (1995) [Online] Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/50/contents. on May 21, 2014]Thompson,N. (2001) Anti-discrimination practice. 3rd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave