Evidence-Based Intervention Strategies to Combat Degenerative Neurological Diseases
The statistics of dementia are staggering with an estimated 6.5 million people living with some form of dementia just in the United States. That figure will skyrocket with the aging baby boomer generation. In fact, researchers estimate that by the year 2050, more than 115 million Americans could be living with a degenerative neurological disease resulting in dementia. With the growing number of cases comes a growing need for skilled care.

More than likely, you have been assigned patients with irreversible dementia who appear to have few, if any, new learning abilities. However, your task is to teach them skills such as locking wheelchair brakes for safety, drinking liquids to prevent dehydration, or increasing independence in toileting skills. As daunting as this task may seem, this seminar prepares you for success with these patients by introducing a multidisciplinary, hands-on approach called Skill Intervention.

This innovative seminar presents how to successfully "stage" a patient to ensure selection of appropriate intervention techniques, as well as 6 evidence-based intervention strategies and 3 communication techniques for various therapists and nurses managing patients in the moderate-to-severe stages of dementia (Stages 4-6). With 40 years of experience working with patients suffering from neuropathology disorders, instructor Jane Yakel, MS, CCC-SLP, provides specific step-by-step instructions, along with a comprehensive discussion of the purpose and reason for all strategies and techniques, to ensure ultimate success when implemented. Ms. Yakel presents an interactive course where attendees work in teams to design and practice evidence-based techniques, strategies, and communication skills needed when working with dementia patients. Attendees leave this dynamic and collaborative seminar with the confidence and skills to develop a structured, systematic, and highly individualized therapy program with the abilities to justify their practice.

Course Content

DEMENTIA AND DISEASES

• Differential diagnosis of degenerative neurological diseases
  • Detect how dementia symptoms vary among the diseases

ASSESSING OR STAGING? WHAT DO THEY TELL US AND WHICH DO WE DO?

• Standardized assessments
• Patient-centered assessments
• “Staging Tools”
• What patient skills to expect at each stage
• Chronological ages that go with the stages

DOCUMENTING DEMENITA SKILLED INTERVENTIONS

• Write patient-centered goals
• Measure progress and justify medical necessity
• Making daily documentation “skilled”
• Key words that reflect functional outcomes in dementia therapy

APPROACHES TO THE MEMORY SYSTEM

• Memory system to use for new learning/conscious memory
• Memory system for procedural learning/unconscious memory
• Documenting memory systems per medical diagnosis

EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS

• Errorless Learning

• Error vs. Errorless learning
• Directions for successful use of errorless learning
• Interactive lab/case discussion

• Spaced Retrieval

• Specific timing and directions of spaced retrieval for the dementia population
• Designing a “prompt question”
• Discipline-specific demonstrations using Spaced Retrieval
• Written goals and skilled documentation

• Montessori-based Dementia Programming

• Translate Montessori teaching into successful therapy intervention
• Retrogenesis: Understanding First In – Last Out Theory
• Create structured stimulating activities appropriate to individual cognitive levels
• Written goals & skilled documentation specific for Montessori techniques

• Ability-Based Approach

• Design successful therapeutic interventions according to patient abilities
• Determine the patients best ability to function
• Written goals & skilled documentation specific for ability-based techniques
• Examples and case studies provided

• Reminiscence Therapy

• Powerful use of the “senses” designed to awaken the soul
• Know the patient is “alive inside”
• Design individual and/or group Reminiscing Therapy sessions
• Select activities and create reminiscing themes and kits
• Written goals and skilled documentation

• Memory Books/Aids

• Proven methods in presenting functional & factual information in written & picture format
• Idea suggestions for individual stages of life/“stages” of dementia

COMMUNCATION SKILLS: THE KEYS TO BEHAVIOR

• Reflective Listening

• Listening from a position of empathy & emotional intelligence
• Practice multiple verbal formulas proven for success
• Client-centered communication – Reflection of Feeling
• Avoiding pitfalls all listeners fall into
• Interactive lab/case examples and discussion

• Validation Therapy: A Powerful Communication Tool

• Principles and pointers for dismantling power struggles and resolving arguments
• Accepting values, beliefs, and reality regardless of accuracy
• Handling hallucination, delusions, hoarding, blamers, and accusers
• Interactive lab/case examples and discussion

• Re-direction

• Learn the key to “agree” with what the patients wants/needs through conversation
• Case study for safety, ambulation, hallucinations, and delusions
• Interactive lab/case examples and discussion