When the brain begins to deteriorate in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, independence and memory are some of the most significant components that begin to fade and this can be a frustrating and trying time for both the patient and their family.
What is Cognitive Stimulation Therapy?
CST is a type of therapy designed for patients who have mild to moderate forms of dementia. Because of the close association between dementia and Alzheimer's, it is no surprise that these patients often have Alzheimer's. This type of therapy can be given in an individualized setting or more commonly as part of a group session.
It can be done at a patient's home or in an advanced-care facility. This is an important component in Alzheimer's therapy because it is easy to implement and more affordable compared to medications that may be available to these patients. As a result, CST is considered to be one of the first therapies offered to patients in impoverished areas or in locations where medical care is harder to access.
In most CST programs, patients will meet over the period of a few months, with each meeting going over a specific topic that can help improve their lives. During the session, participants will go through a series of activities and tasks that are designed to improve communication and increase socialization. Throughout the course, participants will have sessions conducted by different medical professionals to give a wide array of experience on different facets of the disease. These experts can include nurses, psychologists and occupational therapists.
In some cases, it may be determined that a few months is not enough time to provide a meaningful benefit to an individual suffering from dementia. In these particular cases, another possibility is known as maintenance CST therapy. This is a similar type of course designed to last for a longer amount of time, usually between 16 weeks to even a year depending on the patient's current state.
The aims of each course vary depending on who is running a particular aspect of the course, but the idea is to focus on tasks that will stimulate creative thinking, and work on improving memory and concentration. This can be accomplished through games or interviews with partners during the activities.
These games are designed to last for only a few minutes but can be repeated at home to further foster improvement. Matching and memory, organizing objects, or giving directions are just some of the tasks that could be possible during this CST course. In each session, usually, there will be a discussion related to current events in the news to also help stimulate recent memories, something that is likely to fade first with more severe forms of Alzheimer's. These tasks are easy-to-follow and in most cases, family and friends can even assume the role of the leader; you do not need a medical degree to do this.
Does CST actually help people with Alzheimer's disease?
Now that you know what the idea of the course is, the most important thing left to address is whether or not this will actually make a difference in the lives of pepole with Alzheimer's disease and their relatives and caregivers.
- One investigation where 15 different CST trials were analyzed to determine if there was an improvement found that there was significant evidence showing an improvement in memory, mood, and quality of life.
- Another investigation determined patients who participated in CST had much higher general scores in cognition and quality of life measurements, but did not have any improvement compared to control groups in categories like mood and general behavior. This is not entirely surprising, because as the brain begins to degenerate, the frontal lobe of the brain is usually one of the first structures to be affected. This is the part of the brain responsible for emotions and behavior.
Unfortunately, these symptoms often only worsen, so that is why other courses designed for family members will be beneficial here. Emotion-training courses at this stage would be useful, where family and loved ones will be able to learn about the degradation of the brain and what types of emotions or behaviors your loved one will begin to display. They may become a completely different person and start to use profanity, and become very vulgar as well as aggressive and combative. Learning about these behaviors before they manifest can help everyone prepare and know what to expect.
If you remember from above, two different types of CST are available; a normal 14-week course and a more prolonged maintenance course. In a final study done to determine if a prolonged CST course could also make a difference to the overall success of the therapy, participants from the community where compared against those who were enrolled in these courses while at a nursing home. After running the investigation, it was determined that there was a similar but more prolonged benefit compared to those who participated in a normal CST course.
This fact can be a blessing and a curse for the family members of someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease. As the data suggests, CST can help a patient improve their cognition and quality of life and if these courses are done for a longer period of time, the patient seems to benefit in the limited data available.
CST is a therapy that I would recommend that you try because the science supports the effectiveness. It is something that will improve cognition and the quality of life for someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease, even if it is temporary. This time is priceless and you should make sure you maximize your time with your loved one while they are still sharp and able to enjoy it with you. Just make sure that you don't fall victim to an illusion where if you re-enroll your loved one in the same course later on in their disease, you can expect the same outcome. This will not only cost you money but will also likely leave you frustrated and depressed.