Dementia is a neurocognitive medical condition that is usually characterized by a gradual deterioration in mental capability including comprehension, intellectual ability, judgment, communication, and memory. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) as a form of treatment for mild or moderate dementia involves a program that comprises of themed processes and activities usually undertaken under the leadership or guidance of an occupational therapist or trained nurse. Each of the CST sessions mostly focuses on the improvement of different specific mental memory and ability of an individual suffering from dementia. Studies indicate that there is a wide range of similarities when it comes to the benefits obtained from drug and Cognitive Stimulation Therapy forms of treatment used in giving medical care to patients who display symptoms of dementia (Toh, Ghazali, & Subramaniam, 2016).
According to Cove et al . (2014), Cognitive Stimulation Therapy used in the treatment of dementia often benefits from social interaction, communication, and well-being. Previously analysis carried out by experts in the area of dementia has revealed that CST is just as efficient as several drugs administered to patients suffering from dementia condition. Moreover, reports show that most of the patients who manage to undergo successful CST often experience an enhanced quality of life. For example, a trial was recently carried out to examine the maintenance process of CST program comprising of twenty-six sessions offered on a weekly basis where 237 individuals participated. In this regard, the outcomes revealed that the participants who recorded the highest level of improvement and quality of life were the ones who received both anti-dementia medication and CST (Cove et al ., 2014)
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Orrell et al . (2012) point out that there has been a trend of rising cases of cognitive impairments that are related to age as well as the prevalence of dementia owing to the presence of aging population across the globe. Presently, there are no suitable medications that can be used in the entire treatment of dementia condition to completion. However, the sessions and activity programs available through CST pay a considerable role preventing and reducing the risks of further sufferings that is caused by dementia. In the year 2006, the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) came up with recommendations about the participation of individuals experiencing moderate/mild dementia in CST programs and sessions. In this respect, the therapy was expected to be provided by various social and healthcare workers having the necessary training in the administration and management of CST programs. Further, the recommendations made by the NICE emphasized the need to ensure that patients suffering from dementia conditions undergo CST despite having received anti-dementia drugs. Presently, the number of people managing the dementia condition through CST is considerably higher compared to that of people using pharmacological medication.
Spector, Orrell, and Woods (2010) posit that there is a likelihood that a group of activities undertaken as part of the daily sessions for CST could delay the progress made of coming out of dementia for the elderly. Moreover, evidence obtained from recent studies has demonstrated that programs used in cognitive stimulation have a significant ability when it comes to the improvement of the memory status, communication effectiveness and thinking capabilities of individuals experiencing dementia condition. An exploration of the efficacy of CST in treating dementia previously revealed that there were considerable improvements about the level of engagement, confidence cognitive function, and satisfaction with one's ability for those who underwent the therapy. Recent reviews involving the aspect of cognitive simulation found that there is proper documentation of the effects of CST on the quality of life, well-being, social interaction, and communication. On the contrary, Cove et al . (2014) maintain that no indications have been able to demonstrate that cognitive stimulation could lead to changes in behavior or mood. Further, there is insufficient evidence attributed to the available domains for cognition changes.
Physical and behavioral symptoms associated with dementia condition represent a challenge that has always contributed towards undermining the well-being of the people suffering from the dementia condition. Moreover, problems brought about by dementia are usually blamed for making significant contributions towards the existence of financial and psychological encumbrances for the healthcare givers and nurses giving management guidance when it comes to CST. Most of the guidelines used in CST for treatment of dementia recommend the adoption of non-pharmacological forms of treatment for psychological and behavioral symptoms associated with dementia condition. To that extent, recent studies have continued to report findings pointing towards success when it comes to the effectiveness of treatment interventions involving of non-pharmacological ways of enhancing the well-being and quality of life for people with dementia (Spector, Orrell & Woods, 2010).
The perspective of psychological theory about the application of CST in the treatment of dementia involves the consideration of the different guidelines that influence decision-making process among individuals suffering from dementia condition. In this regard, one of such theories is the Cognitive Learning Theory which provides a framework that describes the role played by mental capability when it comes to a different learning process. According to this theory, the storage of information by an individual for a long duration is dependent on the proper functionality and effectiveness of the memory. Thus, non-pharmacological treatment interventions for dementia such as CST often focus on subjecting patients to programs and activities that work towards achieving a gradual enhancement of the memory functionality and capability. Cognitive processes that are not effective could lead to a situation where individuals may experience learning and comprehension difficulties in the course of their lifetime (Toh, Ghazali, & Subramaniam, 2016).
The argument by Orrell et al . (2012) clarifies that the findings of CST studies aimed at exploring cognitive stimulation for individuals experiencing dementia condition could easily be examined and understood from the perspective of a psychosocial theoretical model of dementia. This model offers a vital description about the manner in which the interaction between biological and psychosocial factors takes place and influence the outcome of treatment. Moreover, such elements may be impervious to the process of change owing to their malleable nature. As such, the identification of cognitive stimulation in the psychosocial model of dementia represents the choice of psychosocial intervention with the capability of modifying factors that are considered tractable such as personal psychology, social psychology, and mental activity.
Previous research findings have been able to reveal that dementia condition can affect the semantic as well as the episodic subsystems related to the explicit memory of an individual. When it comes to consideration of the episodic subsystem of the mind, people suffering dementia condition often face challenges about their ability and effectiveness in the acquisition and storage of new information. Existing evidence has been able to suggest that dementia does not always lead to the entire loss of an individual's capacity to process cognitive information. There is considerable evidence about the positive impact and results obtained from the use of non-pharmacological treatments and therapies focused on enhancing cognition, mood, behavior and daily activities in driving out dementia and improving the well-being of dementia caregivers and patients. Toh, Ghazali, and Subramaniam (2016) emphasize that the positive developments and outcomes obtained from non-pharmacological therapies provide an appropriate basis for reliable evidenced about successful treatment through cognitive stimulation.
Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the CST approach and other non-pharmacological forms of treatment for dementia are labor intensive and relatively expensive. Following the conduction of several studies, the evaluation of the successes attributable to the treatment of dementia through cognitive stimulation has a myriad of uncertainties owing to some methodological challenges that often make it difficult to have an efficient and accurate interpretation of data. Cove et al . (2014) explain that cognitive stimulation mainly focuses on processes where patients are made to take part in a group of activities with the general aim of achieving improved social and cognitive functioning. Also, cognitive-based stimulation therapy does not focus on facilitating the evaluation of factual responses but ensures that the participants are in a position to present their opinions as a way of achieving active stimulation and engagement in an optimal environment of learning.
In conclusion, it is clear that Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) plays a critical role in the treatment of moderate or mild levels of dementia. Studies have indicated that the effectiveness of CST far outweighs other forms of treatment. The population of individuals experiencing dementia has been found to grow depending on the growth of the elderly population. As such, effective treatment intervention for the dementia condition is mostly and widely sought after with the objective of mitigating the associated symptoms and effects on the well-being of those experiencing dementia. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment interventions are used to manage dementia condition. Non-pharmacological treatments interventions for this condition involve the adoption of psychological approaches such as Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST). Such a psychological intervention usually involves cognitive stimulation, cognitive rehabilitation, and cognitive training.
References
Cove, J., Jacobi, N., Donovan, H., Orrell, M., Stott, J., & Spector, A. (2014). The effectiveness of weekly cognitive stimulation therapy for people with dementia and the additional impact of enhancing cognitive stimulation therapy with a carer training
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Orrell, M., Yates, L. A., Burns, A., Russell, I., Woods, R. T., Hoare, Z., & Orgeta, V. (2012). Individual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for dementia (iCST): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial, 13(1), 172. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3522062/
Spector, A., Orrell, M., & Woods, B. (2010). Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST): effects on different areas of cognitive function for people with dementia. International
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Toh, H. M., Ghazali, S. E., & Subramaniam, P. (2016). The acceptability and usefulness of cognitive stimulation therapy for older adults with dementia: a narrative review.
International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease , 2016(2016), 1-11. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijad/2016/5131570
