TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancing caregivers understanding of dementia and tailoring activities in frontotemporal dementia
T2 - Two case studies
AU - O'Connor, Claire M.
AU - Clemson, Lindy
AU - Brodaty, Henry
AU - Gitlin, Laura N.
AU - Piguet, Olivier
AU - Mioshi, Eneida
PY - 2016/3/26
Y1 - 2016/3/26
N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the intervention process and results of the Tailored Activities Program (TAP) in two people diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Method: TAP is an occupational therapy (OT) community-based intervention program that prescribes personalised activities to reduce difficult behaviours of dementia. The OT works with carers over a 4-month period (assessment, activity prescription and generalisation of strategies). Study measures were collected (blind researcher) pre- and post-intervention: cognition, functional disability, behavioural symptoms and Caregiver Confidence and Vigilance. Results: A 51-year-old woman with behavioural-variant FTD could consistently engage in more activities post-intervention, with scores indicating improvements to behaviour, function and caregiver confidence. A 63-year-old man with semantic variant FTD engaged well in the prescribed activities, with scores reflecting reduced carer distress regarding challenging behaviours and improved caregiver vigilance. Conclusions: TAP is efficacious in FTD, allowing for differences in approach for FTD subtype, where behavioural symptoms are very severe and pervasive. ▸ Implications for Rehabilitation • The Tailored Activities Program is an intervention which can be tailored to account for unique behavioural and language profiles inherent across frontotemporal dementia (FTD) subtypes. • Maintaining a flexible approach when applying an intervention in FTD allows for tailoring to individual case variability within FTD subtypes.
AB - Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the intervention process and results of the Tailored Activities Program (TAP) in two people diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Method: TAP is an occupational therapy (OT) community-based intervention program that prescribes personalised activities to reduce difficult behaviours of dementia. The OT works with carers over a 4-month period (assessment, activity prescription and generalisation of strategies). Study measures were collected (blind researcher) pre- and post-intervention: cognition, functional disability, behavioural symptoms and Caregiver Confidence and Vigilance. Results: A 51-year-old woman with behavioural-variant FTD could consistently engage in more activities post-intervention, with scores indicating improvements to behaviour, function and caregiver confidence. A 63-year-old man with semantic variant FTD engaged well in the prescribed activities, with scores reflecting reduced carer distress regarding challenging behaviours and improved caregiver vigilance. Conclusions: TAP is efficacious in FTD, allowing for differences in approach for FTD subtype, where behavioural symptoms are very severe and pervasive. ▸ Implications for Rehabilitation • The Tailored Activities Program is an intervention which can be tailored to account for unique behavioural and language profiles inherent across frontotemporal dementia (FTD) subtypes. • Maintaining a flexible approach when applying an intervention in FTD allows for tailoring to individual case variability within FTD subtypes.
KW - Caregivers
KW - dementia
KW - frontotemporal dementia
KW - non-pharmacological intervention
KW - occupational therapy
KW - Tailored Activities Program
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84954544840&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3109/09638288.2015.1055375
DO - 10.3109/09638288.2015.1055375
M3 - Article
C2 - 26056858
AN - SCOPUS:84954544840
VL - 38
SP - 704
EP - 714
JO - Disability and Rehabilitation
JF - Disability and Rehabilitation
SN - 0963-8288
IS - 7
ER -