The impact of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy groups on people with dementia: Views from participants, their carers and group facilitators

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 945-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee Spector ◽  
Charlotte Gardner ◽  
Martin Orrell
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Group Facilitators

scholarly journals An evaluation of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy sessions for people with dementia and a concomitant support group for their carers

Dementia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 985-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Bailey ◽  
Paul Kingston ◽  
Simon Alford ◽  
Louise Taylor ◽  
Edward Tolhurst
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact

This research aimed to ascertain the impact of a pragmatic Cognitive Stimulation Therapy course of 10 sessions on the cognitive function of people living with dementia and whether attending a concomitant carers support group was beneficial to carers. A mixed method quasi-experimental approach was adopted; data were collected pre- and post-intervention. The quantitative arm utilised three validated questionnaires rated by the carers. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews with carers regarding their perceptions of the impact of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and the carers support group. Quantitative data analysis found no statistically significant differences within or between groups. The qualitative data demonstrated that carers perceived Cognitive Stimulation Therapy had some benefits for the people living with dementia, especially social benefits. Carers also perceived that attending the carers support group was beneficial for them in terms of gaining a better understanding of dementia, developing coping skills and having peer support. The study was limited in scale and further research with a larger sample, using direct measures of the impact of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy with people living with dementia and supplementary research exploring which characteristic of carers support groups are effective would be worthwhile.

scholarly journals ‘Getting back to normality seems as big of a step as going into lockdown’: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with early to middle stage dementia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine V Talbot ◽  
Pam Briggs
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Social Worlds ◽  
Middle Stage ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Social ◽  
Function Loss ◽  
The Government ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

Abstract People with dementia can experience shrinkage of their social worlds, leading to a loss of independence, control and reduced well-being. We used ‘the shrinking world’ theory to examine how the COVID 19 pandemic has impacted the lives of people with early to middle stage dementia and what longer-term impacts may result. Interviews were conducted with 19 people with dementia and a thematic analysis generated five themes: the forgotten person with dementia, confusion over government guidance, deterioration of cognitive function, loss of meaning and social isolation, safety of the lockdown bubble. The findings suggest that the pandemic has accelerated the ‘shrinking world’ effect and created tension in how people with dementia perceive the outside world. Participants felt safe and secure in lockdown but also missed the social interaction, cognitive stimulation and meaningful activities that took place outdoors. As time in lockdown continued, these individuals experienced a loss of confidence and were anxious about their ability to re-engage in the everyday practises that allow them to participate in society. We recommend ways in which the government, communities and organisations might counteract some of the harms posed by this shrinking world.

scholarly journals Cognitive stimulation therapy in dementia care: exploring the views and experiences of service providers on the barriers and facilitators to implementation in practice using Normalization Process Theory

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 1869-1878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Dickinson ◽  
Grant Gibson ◽  
Zoe Gotts ◽  
Lynne Stobbart ◽  
Louise Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Intervention ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Normalization Process Theory ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Process Theory ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Normalization Process

ABSTRACTBackground:Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is an evidence-based, cost-effective psychosocial intervention for people with dementia but is currently not a standard part of post-diagnostic care. This qualitative study explored the views and experiences of dementia care providers on the barriers and facilitators to its implementation in usual care.Method:Thirty four semi-structured interviews (24 participants) were conducted across four dementia care sites in the North of England; ten were follow-up interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and then mapped to the Normalization Process Theory framework.Results:Participants considered CST a “good fit” with their “preferred” ways of working and goals of dementia care namely the provision of person-centered services. For facilitators delivering the intervention, compared to other behavioral interventions, CST was seen to offer benefits to their work and was easy to understand as an intervention. Training in CST and seeing benefits for clients were important motivators. Time and resources were crucial for the successful implementation of CST. Participants were keen to objectively measure benefits to participants but unsure how to do this.Conclusions:CST is a cost-effective psychosocial intervention for people with dementia, recommended by national guidance. Despite our findings which show that, using the NPT framework, there are more facilitators than barriers to the implementation of CST, it is still not a standard part of post-diagnostic dementia care. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for this implementation gap in ensuring evidence-based care in translated into practice.

scholarly journals COGNITIVE STIMULATION THERAPY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MEMORY LOSS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S186-S186
Author(s):  
Max Zubatsky
Keyword(s):  
Memory Loss ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Saint Louis ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
With Memory

Abstract Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is a non-pharmacological approach for individuals with mild to moderate dementia. It is one of the age friendly community activities of the GWEP to engage older adults with memory challenges. We explored the impact of caregiver-assisted CST (CA-CST) on participants’ overall memory, mood, and retention in the groups. We also investigated the impact of this CST format on the overall well-being of dementia caregivers. Four CST groups (N=28) entered the CA-CST groups meeting once per week for 14 weeks in a university setting. 61 % of participants who completed the group (n=17) showed a .5 point improvement on the Saint Louis University Mental Status Exam (SLUMS), a 2-point decrease on the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (p<.01), and 1.5 point increase in overall caregiver well-being. Continued psychosocial interventions for dementia are needed not just in university settings, but healthcare organizations and other age-friendly settings.

scholarly journals Parkinson’s-adapted cognitive stimulation therapy: a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 175628641985221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iracema Leroi ◽  
Sabina Vatter ◽  
Lesley-Anne Carter ◽  
Sarah J. Smith ◽  
Vasiliki Orgeta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
The Impact

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is widely used with people with dementia, but there is no evidence of its efficacy in mild cognitive impairment or dementia in Parkinson’s disease (PD-MCI; PDD) or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We aimed to explore the impact of ‘CST-PD’, which is home-based, individualized CST adapted for this population. In a single-blind, randomized controlled exploratory pilot trial (RCT), we randomized 76 participant–dyads [PD-MCI ( n = 15), PDD ( n = 40), DLB ( n = 21) and their care partners] to CST-PD or treatment as usual (TAU). CST-PD involves home-based cognitively stimulating and engaging activities delivered by a trained care partner. Exploratory outcomes at 12 weeks included cognition (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Evaluation; ACE-III), neuropsychiatric symptoms and function. In care partners, we assessed burden, stress and general health status. Relationship quality and quality of life were assessed in both dyad members. At 12 weeks, the ACE-III showed a nonstatistically significant improvement in the CST-PD group compared with the TAU group, although neuropsychiatric symptoms increased significantly in the former. In contrast, care partners’ quality of life ( d = 0.16) and relationship quality (‘satisfaction’, d = 0.01; ‘positive interaction’, d = 0.55) improved significantly in the CST-PD group, and care burden ( d = 0.16) and stress ( d = 0.05) were significantly lower. Qualitative findings in the CST-PD recipients revealed positive ‘in the moment’ responses to the intervention, supporting the quantitative results. In conclusion, care-partner-delivered CST-PD may improve a range of care-partner outcomes that are important in supporting home-based care. A full-scale follow-up RCT to evaluate clinical and cost effectiveness is warranted.

Describing and measuring the ‘switch-on’ effect in people with dementia who participate in cognitive stimulation therapy: A mixed methods study

2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 316-325
Author(s):  
Qi Liu ◽  
Margaret Jones ◽  
Clare Hocking
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive

Introduction Cognitive stimulation therapy is an evidence-based group intervention for promoting cognition and quality of life in people with dementia. This New Zealand study aimed to describe and measure the ‘switch-on’ effect, a recently reported benefit involving enhanced participation. Method A convergent parallel mixed methods design was implemented. Interviews guided by qualitative descriptive methodology were conducted with four community-dwelling men with mild dementia and their wives, before, during and after cognitive stimulation therapy. Concomitantly, participants with dementia were scored on the Volitional Questionnaire following a single-subject A–B design. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using NVivo-assisted thematic analysis and descriptive statistics respectively and conjointly. Findings ‘Switch-on’ was found to be multi-dimensional in nature, with increased engagement and expanded scope in Doing, Feeling, Relating, and Thinking and Reflecting. ‘Switch-on’ occurred with a noticeable onset within 3 weeks, which was sustained and consolidated towards completion of cognitive stimulation therapy in both group and home environments. Three men showed concurrent improvements on the achievement sub-scale of the Volitional Questionnaire. However, the measure did not effectively capture ‘switch-on’ due to its ceiling effect. Conclusion Findings about ‘switch-on’ suggest broader, under-researched benefits of cognitive stimulation therapy that merit further exploration from an occupational therapy perspective.

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