The Role of Occupational Therapy for Seniors with Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease
For seniors with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, occupational therapy can be a great way to increase social participation, improve cognitive stability, and reduce behavioral problems.
April is Occupational Therapy Month, which gives us the opportunity to celebrate the holistic approach occupational therapy has brought to healthcare. Not only does this approach help seniors, but it has allowed countless numbers of people to get back on their feet.
Occupational therapy can be beneficial for seniors in a lot of ways. In this article, we’re going to talk about a few roles this type of therapy can play, as well as the benefits for seniors with Dementia or Alzheimer’s.
What is Occupational Therapy?
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, occupational therapy intervention “uses everyday life activities (occupations) to promote health, well-being, and your ability to participate in the important activities in your life.”
Occupational therapy has a lot of benefits and can help you participate in life activities, including:
Activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, and eating
Adaptive equipment like shower chairs
Caregiver and family training
Planning and making the most of daily routines
Returning to work, school and leisure activities
Techniques to aid in memory, concentration, and executive functioning
What are the Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Seniors with Dementia or Alzheimer’s?
A study done to analyze the short-term effects of occupational therapy in patients with dementia concluded that occupational therapy may be an effective intervention to maintain cognition and functionality, as well as reduce psychiatric symptoms in dementia patients.
Additionally, mild stages of dementia could gain more benefits from occupational therapy in regard to functional decline.
Occupational therapy treatments can help seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s function in different areas of life, including but not limited to:
Eating
Hygiene
Using the restroom
Sleeping
Putting on clothes
Types of Occupational Therapy Treatments for Seniors with Dementia
My OT Spot and the American Occupational Therapy Association lists several types of interventions for dementia depending on each stage: early, middle, and late.
While occupational therapy can’t fix a person’s dementia, it can help improve function through different strategies.
Early-Stage Dementia
Patients will still be able to function in daily life pretty well but may start forgetting things like appointments or recipes.
How occupational therapy can help:
Memory aids like calendars, journals, medication reminders, and daily routine schedules
Combining memory aids with caregiver education can improve patient independence
Middle-Stage Dementia
Patients may need assistance with basic tasks like getting to the restroom on time. This shows decreased sequencing ability and motor planning of basic ADLs (Activities of Daily Living).
How occupational therapy can help:
Giving cues and prompting instead of jumping in and taking over can help patients remain independent longer
Provide verbal and visual clues, demonstrations and physical guidance
Late-Stage Dementia
Patients are at their final stage of the disease process. They will no longer be oriented and are dependent on all areas of self-care.
How occupational therapy can help:
Caregivers can help provide sensory stimulation
Occupational Therapy Can be Beneficial for Seniors of all Abilities
As seniors age, cognitive ability often decreases and can make life more difficult to enjoy. For seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s, occupational therapy can provide an additional level of support and make life easier to navigate.
At The Aspenwood Company, we know mature adults want to live their lives well. Life gets richer and better as you age, and we believe that feeling should never end.
But it’s easy for adults to forget what freedom feels like. For doctors, artists, educators, and business owners, the things you’ve acquired on your life’s journey – your home and all the things you own – can become a weight that holds you in place.
You can pursue and experience freedom like never before. It’s time to experience the laughter, the energy, the activity, the friendly faces, and the caring people of The Aspenwood Company. It’s time to Live Life Well®.
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