Talking Therapy For Dementia

Talking Therapy For Dementia

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Dementia, a cognitive disease that affects the brain unfortunately can affect so many parts of someone’s life. Luckily, there are therapies that exist specifically for helping with communication. Talking therapy is a service that is provided by a trained professional such as a counsellor, a clinical or counseling psychologist, a psychotherapist, or a psychiatrist.

Benefits of Talking Therapy For Dementia

There are many different benefits of talking therapy. Most of these therapies take place in the early to middle stages of dementia. Because late dementia can really start to affect the way the brain focuses, it is best to begin talking therapies early on. Below are some of the main benefits of talking therapy:

  • Affords the opportunity to discuss feelings about recent diagnosis
  • Creates a safe space to explore many different feelings
  • Extended therapy (over several weeks) can reduce the onset of depression or anxiety
  • Provides comfort for individuals
  • Allows individuals to learn how to maintain healthy relationships with others

Types Of Talking Therapies For Dementia

There are different types of talking therapies that can help with dementia. The type you or a loved one may choose will depend on the desired results and at what stage of dementia the patient is.

Counseling For Dementia

Counseling is often used to help a person cope with events they’ve found difficult. It can be particularly helpful for people who have recently been diagnosed with dementia. Being assessed for suspected dementia can be confusing, stressful and make the person feel anxious.

Psychotherapy For Dementia

A psychotherapist will help a person understand how their personality, beliefs and experiences influence their thoughts, feelings, relationships and behavior. This can change the way they think and behave. It can also help them deal with problems and difficult situations more successfully.

Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT)

This is one specific type of psychotherapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the fact that the way we think about something (our ‘cognition’) affects how we feel and then how we behave. CBT is most effective for people who are in the early stages of dementia. Their brain is less affected by the disease and therefore they are more apt to engage with the therapy.

Caring for a person with dementia can be burdensome and rewarding at the same time. This type of commitment can come with a lot of stress. It is best to seek out as many aids as possible to help you care for someone. Therapies are a great way to do this.

Orchard at Athens is here to help our residents through their journey. Please contact us to learn more about our programs to help you or your loved one.