The Toolkit

The Down and Dementia toolkit consists of a series of cases, each accompanied by a short film and teaching materials. Each case focuses on a specific theme and addresses changes associated with dementia. The teaching materials are designed for use by those who wish to view and discuss the films with professional caregivers, family members, and informal caregivers. 

Alzheimer’s dementia makes caregiving increasingly complex. The cases illustrate these challenges by helping viewers recognize and better understand difficult situations, as well as the misunderstandings and conflicts that may arise. They also offer support in navigating moral dilemmas and ethical issues, thereby contributing to care and support that more closely align with the needs of the person with dementia. 

The case 'I am Anne' introduces Anne’s life story and the early stages of her dementia. It provides essential context for the other cases in the toolkit. 

The films

The images are taken from real life. You can watch or download the films from the website. The films are licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. © 2025 Geelprodukt Foundation.

The Teaching Material

The teaching material has been developed with the following general objectives:

• • To recognize and better understand challenging situations caused by symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (themes). 

• • To reflect on the associated conflicts and misunderstandings. 

• • To reflect on personal experiences related to various themes. 

• • To obtain tools to act in different ways, appropriate for the individual and the situation. 

• • To deal with dilemmas encountered. 

Each part of the teaching material includes:

• • Brief description of the film 

• • Case topic 

• • General questions 

• • In-depth questions 

• • Statements for Discussion 

You can adapt the teaching material to a specific group or subtheme as needed. Expanding it to residents with other intellectual disabilities is also possible. By residents, we mean both people living in a care facility and loved ones cared for by family and caregivers at home. 

Resources  

More information and background on the knowledge and theory surrounding Down syndrome and Alzheimer's dementia, and on the combination of dementia and other intellectual disabilities, can be found here: 

Another good resource is the free e-book 'The caregiver’s companion to intellectual disabilities and dementia: 100 real-life questions and answers' with 100 practical questions and answers.  

It will be released soon; for now, it is available in Dutch.

Download the PDF'Introduction to Use‘‘.