Dementia Care: The Whole Person Is the Whole Point

July 16, 2026

Behaviour Support Practitioners Monica Cachia and Tracy Cutler attended the International Dementia Conference 2026, where a consistent message emerged across disability and aged care practice: the whole person is the whole point. 


Traditional models of dementia care have tended to focus heavily on the brain as the source of distress. This approach can lead to over‑reliance on medications, particularly antipsychotics, which often address outward behaviours rather than the underlying causes of distress. 


Dementia may change how a person communicates and relates, but as highlighted through the work of Teun Toebes, it does not take away a person’s humanity, identity, or right to meaningful connection. Too often, distress is labelled as “BPSD” without sufficient attention to the environment, relationships, or unmet needs that would be distressing for anyone. 

 

A wellbeing‑led approach reframes behaviour as communication rather than a problem to be managed. Rather than asking “How do we stop this?”, the focus shifts to “What is this person telling us, and how can we respond?” People living with dementia are often held to a higher emotional standard than others, expected to tolerate experiences that would be distressing for anyone. 


By intentionally focusing on one wellbeing domain at a time- such as joy, comfort, safety, identity, connection, or autonomy, and embedding this focus into everyday interactions, services can improve safety, dignity, and quality of life. 

 

People with intellectual disability experience a higher risk of dementia and often an earlier onset. Their needs are frequently under‑recognised within both disability and aged care systems. 


The conference also reinforced the importance of inclusive dementia support for people with intellectual disability, culturally safe care, accessible information supported decision-making tools and right based decision-making, and thoughtfully designed environments. The physical environment plays a critical role in dementia support. Furniture, lighting, layout, noise levels, and access to personal belongings all influence how safe, oriented, and valued a person feels. Environments should support independence, familiarity, and dignity rather than efficiency alone. 


When dementia support centres the whole person, not just the diagnosis, outcomes improve for individuals, families, and services alike. 


If you or someone you know could benefit from personalised support throughout the dementia journey, get in touch with the helpz team. We are here to listen, understand and help.



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