Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is a non-pharmacological treatment intervention for patients with dementia and associated disease. Surveys revealed that the CST is cost-efficient compared to other pharmacological treatment interventions. The CST session includes physical games, sound, current affairs, word association, orientation, food, categorizing objects, word games, number games, and a team quiz. The progressive deterioration of an individual’s health status leads to dementia.
A survey carried out in the US revealed that eight hundred thousand people have dementia. The increasing rate of dementia accounts for the creation of group intervention units. Previous literature showed that early diagnosis enhanced the patient’s cognitive reasoning. As a result, the individual becomes depressed and dies of hypertension.
Cognitive stimulation therapy is effective in mitigating the effects of dementia. Non-pharmacological groups supervise the CST session under standard practice. The therapy session comprises fourteen groups of sessions conducted in seven weeks. Facilitators recommend the CST program for mild and chronic dementia. The therapy session assists participants with exercises that support their cognitive abilities.
Research question: Cognitive stimulation in patients with memory impairment: do they improve?
Relevance to psychology
Psychology is an applied science that studies human behaviors and mental activity. As a result, psychologists explore the components of mental, behavior, and social structures of cognitive reasoning. The role of each component enhances our perceptions towards brain functioning and diverse orientations.
Psychologists use the same concept to improve the wellness of people with dementia. As a result, non-pharmacological approaches substitute pharmacological interventions for people with dementia. Non-pharmacological approaches include behavior, emotion-oriented, cognition-oriented treatment, and stimulation oriented treatment.
Khan, Z., Corbett, A., & Ballard, C. (2014). Cognitive stimulation therapy: Training, maintenance, and implementation in clinical trials. Pragmatic and Observational Research, 5(1), 15-19.
Zunera Khan, Anne Corbett, and Clive Ballard (from the Wolfson Center for Age-related Diseases, King’s College London), tested the “Cognitive stimulation therapy: training, maintenance, and implementation in clinical trials.” Previous research revealed that 35 million people suffer from dementia and their related diseases. Against this backdrop, the authors tested the implication and maintenance of cognitive stimulation on patients with dementia.
However, the pharmacological treatment for dementia has been ineffective for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, alternative measures have been developed to improve social care services. Surveys revealed that non-pharmacological treatment had been tested in recent times. The approach has been supported by a patient orientation exercise to enhance their cognitive stimulation. As a result, the researchers tested cognitive stimulation therapy in clinical trials.
The article revealed that reality orientation developed in 1950 tackled confusion, and the patient’s disorientation. However, clinicians raised concerns about its significance in social care services.
They argued that its impact was minimal compared with pharmacological interventions. As a result, treatment interventions did not improve the patient’s quality of life. The previous analysis revealed that cognitive stimulation improved the patient’s quality of life. As a result, the researchers tested the significance of cognitive stimulation therapy using randomized controlled trials.
The research findings revealed that two hundred and one participants responded to the assessment (Khan, Corbett, & Ballard, 2014). The researchers mapped a 7-week session to test the CST program on patients with dementia. As a result, participants were observed for six months to test their response scale. The research findings revealed significant improvement in the implementation and maintenance of cognitive stimulation therapy. To answer the research question, we can draw an analysis of the application and maintenance of the CST.
The research findings revealed that cognitive stimulation therapy improved the patient’s language function. As a result, cognitive stimulation therapy enhances the wellness of the individual. The authors revealed that the clinical transition to real-life interventions remains the major challenge for CST implementation. However, previous research suggested that clinicians support the development and implementation of the CST.
The article revealed that CST implementation would enhance the patient’s cognitive reasoning, social function, and body process. The benefits of the CST sessions include the patient’s communication efficiency, conversation sequence, and cognitive reasoning. Ongoing clinical trials will improve the follow-up limitation and reduce the cost of home care services.
Thus, the article relates to my research topic as it evaluates the implications of CST sessions on the patient’s wellbeing. Consequently, the research findings will facilitate further studies on non-pharmacological approaches to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Aguirre, E., Hoare, Z., Streater, A., Spector, A., Woods, B., Hoe, J., & Orrell, M. (2013). Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) for people with dementia–who benefits most? Int J Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(3), 284-90.
According to Aguiree, E. (Mental Health Sciences Department, University College London), Hoare, Z. ( North Wales Research Institute), Streater, A. (Research & Development Department, NHS Foundation, London), Spector, A. (Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London), Woods, B. (DSDC Wales, Bangor University), Hoe, J. (DSDC Wales, Bangor University), and Orrell, M. (Research & Development Department, NHS Foundation, London), cognitive stimulation therapy improves the wellness of people with dementia. However, factors that influence patient response to CST vary among individuals.
As a result, the researchers investigated the predisposing factors to CST response. To further their research, they tested two hundred and seventy-two patients with dementia. The participants were observed for seven weeks. Each patient was given pretreatment and post-treatment assessment. Consequently, the sample population was randomly selected from eighteen community health centers (Aguirre et al., 2013). The research findings were compared with mean scores to determine the significance of each factor.
The research findings revealed that CST improved the wellness of each participant. Consequently, treatment interventions were not significant during the CST session. As a result, the benefits of CST did not reflect any treatment intervention. However, home care services, age, and gender affected the participant’s cognition and response to medication. The research findings suggested that predictors of change affect the wellness of each participant.
Consequently, the independent variables influenced the patient’s cognitive stimulation. As a result, elderly people benefited from the CST program. Thus, patients under medication will benefit from the CST sessions. We can answer the research question using the author’s recommendations. The efficacy of the CST program can be tested on patients with dementia. As a result, health practitioners can evaluate nursing interventions based on performance and quality of life.
Tuppen, J. (2012). The benefits of groups that provide cognitive stimulation for people with dementia. Nurs Older People, 24(10), 20-4.
According to Jackie Tuppen (Independent specialist practitioner, Broadstairs, Kent), government policy facilitates early diagnosis and nursing interventions for patients with dementia. Thus, early diagnosis and medication influence the quality of life for people with dementia. The article “The benefits of groups that provide cognitive stimulation for people with dementia” described the development of intervention groups for people with dementia.
As a result, the author analyzed Cogs club, policies, and government recommendations as it affects care homes and CST groups. The article tested the benefits of various stimulation groups and the factors that support their development. Consequently, facilitators use capacity building skills for cognitive stimulation therapy. At the end of each intervention program, an individual may be forced to withdraw from alternative medications.
The term “Cogs clubs or groups” refers to caregivers that support the elderly. However, the author used the term to qualify non-professionals that assist people with dementia. The Cogs club acts as facilitators during the therapy session. Physical actives such as sounds, music, word games, and current affairs were carried out in the first and second sessions.
To investigate the benefits of stimulation groups, the author collected responses from various facilitators and caregivers. As a result, questionnaires were distributed to non-professionals in care homes, mental institutions, and Cogs club. Responses from facilitators were used to analyze the effectiveness of the stimulation groups. The research findings revealed that facilitators enjoyed the CST program (Tuppen, 2012). Statistical analysis revealed that the responses from 8 facilitators were above 88 percent.
The responses showed that the facilitators were satisfied with their job description. Thus, Cogs club benefits from the stimulation therapy. The rating criteria include interest, social skills, job satisfaction, and humor. The facilitators were evaluated based on the statistical figures. As a result, they encouraged volunteers to be part of the initiative to improve service delivery.
The article relates to the proposed topic because it answers the research question. The research findings revealed that facilitators improve the wellness of people with dementia.
Consequently, early diagnosis and government policies facilitate the development of the CST program. Thus, the article relates to my research topic as it evaluates the implication of CST sessions on the patient’s wellbeing. Consequently, the research findings will facilitate further studies on non-pharmacological approaches to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.