Cognitive Stimulation Therapy - Group and Individual sessions- experience?

[ehaw]

My father has been recently diagnosed with Alzheimers and Vascular dementia.

I have recently come across a new non drug treatment called Cognitive Stimulation Therapy both for groups and also for working 1-2-1 individually.

Through Amazon I bought instruction manuals and found the concepts and session plans very creative, fun and potentially enjoyable. Additionally CST has gained recommendation from NICE and there is clinical proof that it can slow down the onset of dementia.

I am keen to start some 1-2-1 sessions with my father in the new year - the recommendation is 3 sessions a week of about 30 mins for 26 weeks.

We live in the North West of England and I am aware of CST group activity in the South West and I think Norwich so I will be reaching out to them. There doesn't seem currently to be local activity in our area yet.

In particular, I wondered if anyone had experience of successes and challenges of CST particularly on a 1-2-1 basis and any advice suggestions.

Thanks.

 

[la lucia]

there is clinical proof that it can slow down the onset of dementia.

Not from NICE there isn't. They evaluated it in terms of stimulation on the wards in order to prevent or moderate challenging behaviour.

Boredom is often a big problem with dementia thus anything that mitigates that is great.

It sounds good as an 'extra' as activities often are but I don't think it's going to have a particularly strong effect on slowing down the disease itself.

Really interesting although I wish there was just funding for actual adult activites, arts and so on rather than the latest 'new idea'...

 

[Bill_t]

Mu wife also has mixed dementia in a fairly early stage. She used to be very self reliant and a keen artist but has lost interest and is getting more and more dependent on me for any activity. Left to herself she reads intermittently and sorts out the room used as her 'studio' often boxing up items to take 'home'. We have lived here for 32 years and her parents are long dead so I have never established where 'home' is.

Over Christmas with lots of people she was much more connected though not not sure where she was.

Some sort of regular group activities would be very beneficial. She still attends WI, carpet bowls and art class and members of these groups look after her and bring her home but it only covers a few hours a week.

My interests are solitary (wildlife photography, fly fishing etc) so of no use and I have effectively given them up so as to not leave her alone.

I'll be interested to hear what progress you make establishing a support group.

 

[Noosh]

Noosh

Not from NICE there isn't. They evaluated it in terms of stimulation on the wards in order to prevent or moderate challenging behaviour.

Boredom is often a big problem with dementia thus anything that mitigates that is great.

It sounds good as an 'extra' as activities often are but I don't think it's going to have a particularly strong effect on slowing down the disease itself.

Really interesting although I wish there was just funding for actual adult activites, arts and so on rather than the latest 'new idea'...

Hi .
My husband has early stages Dementia .
We started cognitive rehab with him,where a lady came in once a month and did some work with him ,but he also had to do homework which he hated doing ,also to fill in a diary to report on what he had done in the day . We finally discontinued as a...he was not interested in doing it and b...the lady moved ,so that was it . That is not to say that it would work for some ,but the carer needs a lot of patience to persevere with the work !!