Psycho-social Approaches to the Treatment of Dementia

Varying psycho-social treatment techniques are applied for elderly patients with dementia; reality-orientation, reminiscence therapy, music therapy, art therapy, dohsatherapy, animal assisted therapy and so on. In ambulatory therapy setting for dementia patients in the early stage, author adopts combined treatment approach of psychoterapy sessions such as reminiscence therapy for the patients and of interviews for the family caregivers. The family caregivers are provided with informations necessary for understanding and caring of demented patients. Patient and family caregiver are guided to practice home care program setted in various sides of daily life; cooking, house keeping, shopping, hoby etc, in order to continue therapeutic intervention. Psychological support for family caregivers by counselling should be given when they are emotionly disturbed from care stress. If family dysfunction is seemed to exacerbate psychiatric symptoms and behavioral problems of the demented patient, family therapy is indicated. Author emphasized the importance of psychological support and education for family caregivers of demented patients, and mentioned about self-help group for family caregivers