Cognitive Stimulation Theory
It's Simple and Straightforward.
You meet with a small group of people with dementia, in a quiet room for 45 minutes twice a week for sever weeks. It has been researched as effective, and is very rewarding for people with dementia and the staff as well. It is person centre. We look at a persons strengths and abilities and not the dementia itself. It also has to be appropriate for all the members of the group, or take into considerations the abilities of everyone. Show respect for everyone and not belittle or talk down. Make all become involved in the sessions. If you are talking too much shut up and encourages others. Group members must be offered choice in the activities. Make them believe the group is theirs, they own it. Have two levels as it were of each type of activity. An A and a B level so all can be involved in it.
The group should create an atmosphere that is fun and enjoyable. Avoid using equipment that might have been used in school for example. Do not focus on facts too much. Everyone in the group is entitled to there own opinion. It should never feel like a memory test. To avoid this use reminiscence ideas to tap into peoples strengths. You must know as much about a person’s life history as possible, it will help you in this respect. A mix of activities using all the senses is best. Touch, smell and so on. Use non-verbal means to communicate. Some people might be able to do a thing one day and not the next so be aware of this. In a group people will get to know others by how much fun they are having. Gender balance of the group and who is included is important. A blind resident for example may not gain much out of a visual activity. The room you use must be quiet and not have people coming in and out. Have all your equipment and things you are going to use already in the room before you start.
Introduce everyone and then play a game of soft ball. Sing a song that everyone has chosen themselves and talk about what the day and date is. Talk about meal times and any other recent events in the home. The main part of the exercise now happens. Cognitive stimulation of some kind such as exchanging old money for new or talking about weights of pounds and ounces. Tasting foods, smelling smells or touching items in a bag to say what they are is a good exercise. Now thank everyone, sing the song again and ask when they would like to meet next. These are only examples as I am sure you will have some of your own tried and tested methods.
Images Supplied By:
Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net