Simply put, the model suggests that what a person with dementia needs most of all is a friend, a "Best Friend." This can be a family member, friend, or staff member who empathizes with their situation, remains loving and positive and dedicated to helping the person feel safe, secure and valued. The model teaches caregivers how to have "knack." Caregiving knack is defined as "the art of doing difficult things with ease," or "clever tricks and strategies."

Here's an example of knack in action.

A person with dementia might mistakenly say, "That President Eisenhower, he is doing a good job!" Some caregivers without knack might say, "What's wrong with you! President Eisenhower hasn't been President for decades." This can confuse the person with dementia who has lost track of the passage of time.

A caregiver with knack might respond, "I like Ike too," preserving the person's dignity.

Individuals, organizations and government agencies have endorsed the philosophy of care including Jack Canfield of the famed Chicken Soup for the Soul series; futurist and noted writer Ken Dychwald; National Institute on Aging founder and Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Butler, and hundreds of family members, professionals in the field of aging, and persons with Alzheimer's disease, many of whom are featured in the Best Friends series of books. For a sampling of these remarks, go to Testimonials.