dementia

Dementia can present in many ways; it is often considered an umbrella term for diagnoses that create a loss of memory or thinking abilities that cause interferences with managing daily life. Dementia can be associated with the following diagnoses: Alzheimer’s, Vascular, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal, mixed dementia, and other contributing factors.

Talk therapy is used to ease the progression and agitation. Creating therapy goals for a patient with dementia requires careful consideration of the patient’s individual needs and abilities. As a telehealth therapist that works with patients in skilled nursing homes, dementia can be a challenging diagnosis for individuals, family members, and facility staff.

Here are five therapy goals that may be appropriate for a patient with dementia:

1. Improve communication skills: Dementia can often cause changes in communication abilities. Therapy goals might include improving the patient’s ability to express their needs and wants, as well as improving their understanding of spoken and written language.
2. Promote independence: Despite the challenges of dementia, it’s important to promote as much independence as possible. Therapy goals might include helping the patient learn new skills or strategies to help them manage their daily activities more independently.
3. Enhance memory and cognitive skills: Dementia can cause changes in memory and cognitive skills. Therapy goals might include helping the patient use strategies to improve their memory and cognitive skills, such as using memory aids or practicing memory exercises.
4. Manage behavioral challenges: Dementia can sometimes cause behavioral challenges, such as agitation, aggression, or wandering. Therapy goals might include identifying and addressing the underlying causes of these behaviors, as well as developing strategies to manage them effectively.
5. Improve quality of life: Ultimately, the goal of therapy for a patient with dementia is to improve their quality of life. Therapy goals might include finding ways to help the patient feel more engaged, fulfilled, and satisfied with their life.

It’s important to keep in mind that therapy goals for a patient with dementia should be realistic, achievable, and tailored to the individual’s needs and abilities. It may also be helpful to involve the patient’s family and care team in the goal-setting process. Involving medical professionals who manage medication is also an important aspect of managing agitation and progression of symptoms.

Working closely with nurse practitioners who provide medication management, I have seen some conversations when they collaborate amongst themselves. Beyond drug classifications and possible common uses, medication knowledge is beyond me especially when it comes to CMS requirements. Remember that there is no handbook for dementia with agitation which makes it one of the hardest types of patients to treat.