What is the key question?
How can we use cognitive psychology to improve the lives of those with dementia?
What is dementia?
- memory loss
- 850,000 people in the UK live with it
- weight loss
What happens in the early stage and how does it link?
Multi-store model, tells us that rehearsal of short term memory is needed to transfer to long term memory people with dementia can’t do this.
- struggle to remember names of new people
- forget things they have just read or watched
What happens in the middle stage and how does it link?
Episodic and semantic memory is effected.
- forget events from their past
- struggle to remember meanings of words
What happens in the late stage and how does it link?
Episodic, semantic and procedural memory is effected. And short term memory is no longer rehearsing or encoding while the long term memory is decaying.
- loss awareness of recent events as well as old ones
- forget how to carry out simple tasks like walking
- struggle communicating, can’t find the right words
What is cognitive stimulation?
Groups that are bought together in themed sessions so they can play games and stimulate their minds. Often led by a nurse, occupational therapist or a carer.
What is the dementia village?
It is a validation therapy where participants won’t be told they are wrong. They will be able to walk round freely in a ‘village’ which can reduce stress and keep them active as well as giving back the independence of being able to go shopping.
