Personalized Cognitive Stimulation through Personhood: A Case Report on Dementia Diagnosis Acceptance and Therapeutic Engagement

Clin Gerontol. 2020 Mar-Apr;43(2):233-239. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2019.1648349. Epub 2019 Aug 8.

Abstract

Objectives: Dementia related cognitive impairment, as forgetting recent memories, brings several emotional challenges to patients and their families. This paper reports a case of a non-collaborative high-education level patient. who recurrently refused a set of conventional cognitive stimulation exercises, as he also was in refusal of his cognitive impairment. The aim of this report is to show the benefits of a personalized cognitive stimulation (PCS) program.Methods: A24-sessions PCS program was conceived within a person-centered care approach and in active co-creation between the therapist and the patient.Results: The results evidence the patient's increasing therapeutic engagement in the proposed activities, along with mild cognitive improvement. This procedure also promoted a diagnosis acceptance and the patient's mood stabilization. Two illustrative materials used in this tailored intervention are available as supplemental material.Conclusions: Cognitive stimulating programs benefit from tailoring and personalization. Personalization indeed helped the patient feeling engaged and increased his participation in the activities. Furthermore, his mood stabilized, and the patient accepted his cognitive impairments. Thus, PCS is a way of reaching person-centered care.Clinical implications: PCS may be used to improve patient's engagement in the stimulating activities. Also, PCS promoted the dementia diagnosis acceptance..

Keywords: Dementia care; cognitive stimulation; personalization; personhood.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / methods*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology
  • Dementia / diagnosis*
  • Dementia / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology*
  • Patient-Centered Care / methods