How Aging Adults with Dementia Can Benefit from Cognitive Stimulation Therapy
By Gary Hightower 8 am on
It’s important for family caregivers to stay up to date on the most relevant information regarding senior care, especially if they’re caring for an older loved one with a serious condition like dementia. The following information can deepen your understanding of dementia therapy and how it could potentially help your senior loved one.
What Is Dementia Therapy?
Dementia therapy is commonly referred to as cognitive stimulation therapy, or CST, and is used to limit the effects of dementia. It’s a relatively brief form of treatment and will therefore provide the best results for people with mild to moderate forms of dementia. It can also be incorporated into early Alzheimer’s treatment to reduce its symptoms. If you’re caring for a loved one with dementia, you don’t have to face the challenges alone. Families looking for top-rated Arlington senior care providerscan reach out to Home Care Assistance. From respite care to specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care, there are many ways we can make life easier for seniors and their loved ones.
What Does CST Entail?
Cognitive stimulation therapy typically includes 10 to 14 sessions of themed exercises and activities. Seniors usually attend no fewer than two sessions per week. At each meeting, various forms of stimulation are provided to increase engagement. Activities can include specific triggers to activate memory recall and stimulate language and executive functioning. The goal is to encourage implicit learning and protect and increase overall mental fitness.
Caregivers & CST
Family caregivers can take part in professional CST training to learn activities that can be performed at home. Given this therapy is relatively short in duration and typically lasts between five and seven weeks, it’s often recommended that seniors have continued access to these exercises. These efforts can include pet, music, and art therapies and even the use of simple household items to stimulate memories. Holding up pictures, outdated newspapers, and scrapbooks for elderly people with dementia can help them make positive connections and maintain higher levels of overall cognitive function. Caring for senior loved ones can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Home CareAssistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.
The Benefits of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy
Cognitive stimulation therapy is widely believed to have a positive impact on the cognitive functioning of seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s. In addition to staving off or lessening the effects of dementia, these efforts can produce enhancements in recall abilities and social engagement. Thus, choosing to pursue this type of treatment could be an effective way to prolong your loved one’s mental fitness.Dementia therapy can be quite effective for your senior loved one, which means you’ll have greater peace of mind as well. Dementia can be challenging for seniors to manage, but they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional dementia care. Arlington seniors can benefit greatly from the Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program designed to promote cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. CTM is included at no additional charge with any of the in-home care plans provided by Home Care Assistance. To talk to one of our friendly Care Managers and create a customized senior care plan, call us at (817) 591-1580.