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| At Sympaticare, we value our patients maintaining their independence for as long as possible. In this blog post, Sympaticare will share the importance of occupational therapy for patients with dementia. |
There are many ways in which dementia can affect the way a person goes about their daily life and performs certain occupations. In this sense, the word “occupation” is defined as a meaningful activity. Our elders may be retired from their former jobs, but there are still many occupations they will choose to utilize their time.
Sometimes a person with dementia will struggle with the performance of social interaction, and other times there may be difficulties with basic activities of daily living (ADL’s) such as routine hygiene, or meal schedules. Occupational Therapy (OT) is a unique field that evaluates each person and their individual abilities, dysfunctions, and occupations. This will also include the components that make them who they are such as their role in the community and family.
Some of the most common behavioral problems for a person with dementia are the inability to communicate effectively, social disconnectedness, wandering or pacing, aggression, and cognition abilities.
Each of these areas can be evaluated by an Occupational Therapist at great length. Through the therapist’s analysis of how the patient goes about their daily life, a plan for patient-centered intervention can be formed.
Most OT models include the person’s interests or necessities, the environment, and the occupation they’re focused on completing. The interventions that the OT develops will also depend on the stage of dementia the patient is experiencing.
The stages of dementia and occupational therapy treatment(s) may include:
Early Stage: In the early stages of dementia, an OT may find that a patient has difficulty with their memory concerning recent events, difficulty with finding the correct words to communicate, and difficulty with maintaining an appropriate attention span.
The therapist may speak with caregivers regarding different strategies such as journaling, the use of a planner, therapeutic language, and promote games such as “Memory.” These will allow the patient to maintain independence and dignity while they navigate their new lifestyle.
Mid to Moderate Impairment Stage: During this stage, memory loss occurs more frequently and subsequently there are more questions being asked. There are delusions, hallucinations, and more agitation. The patient will require more assistance with ADL’s and they may start to wander, pace, or may get lost even within their own home.
An OT will know the questions and cues to look for in order to discover any potential underlying causes for these behaviors such as anxiety, hunger, or boredom. They may encourage caregivers to not over-dramatize situations, maintain a very structured routine, or utilize local support groups.
Late to Severe Impairment Stage: This stage lasts an average of 2 to 3 years and will often reveal significant struggles resulting in an increase in supervision and assistance. Patients in this stage will require dependence on others for ADL functions. Their interest in food may decrease as well as their ability to chew or swallow. Patients may exhibit repetitious movements or sounds and their language will begin to falter.
Occupational Therapists will work with the caregiver to continue to promote dignity and quality of life with the use of adaptive equipment and strategies to improve nutritional and hygienic support.
Terminal Stage: The final stage of dementia is the terminal stage. At this stage, most elders will remain in a wheelchair or bed and will depend on others for their needs. During this stage, the role of the OT is to provide nutrition options, comfortable positioning strategies, and adaptations as well as emotional support for the family members. This may include providing resources for finances, end-of-life psychosocial support, social services, or funeral arrangements.
Occupational Therapists are able to help your loved one maintain their independence, dignity, and personal interests for as long as possible. Not only that, but they are also able to provide you, as their caregiver, the emotional support, encouragement, and tools in order to help them every step of the way.
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About Sympaticare
Sympaticare is a locally owned and community-focused senior management and consulting agency. We are committed to providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facility owners/operators with the resources they need to establish and/or operate successful, state-of-the-art, and high-quality elder care facilities.
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About Shully Braunstein, our Sympaticare principal
Shully Braunstein’s mission is to provide our elders with the absolute highest standard of care. He is a New York State licensed administrator and currently operates a total of 6 nursing facilities.