Thinking about dementia - a psychodynamic understanding of links between early infantile experience and dementia

This paper explores links between a psychodynamic approach to early infantile experience and how this can underpin an understanding of the states of mind that can be returned to for a person with dementia as the disease progresses. Dementia is more commonly associated with later life, early onset dementia, however, is also a reality. A deeper understanding of the unconscious communications and anxieties in this area and the containment provided by this understanding can help to support more thoughtful work with the person with dementia, their family and the formal support system around them both. The paper uses vignettes from working with a client in his home.