Rob Winningham – Cognitive Rehabilitation & Memory Enhancement: Evidence-Based Interventions for Older Adults

Outline

USE IT OR LOSE IT: MAXIMIZING MEMORY ABILITY

• Latest research related to the “Use It or Lose It” theory of memory and aging
• 52 cognitively stimulating activities for older adults
• Cognitive enhancement intervention studies: What works and what doesn’t

MEMORY AND COGNITION

• Why do cognitive abilities change as we get older?
• What cognitive abilities decrease in older adulthood?
• What cognitive abilities are preserved in older adulthood?
• Interactive Lab: Communicating with patients/ residents as well as family members about memory and dementia issues

MEMORY AND THE BRAIN

• Neuropsychology basics
• Paying attention: The importance of the frontal lobes
• Frontal lobe: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

UNDERSTANDING DEMENTIA AND MEMORY LOSS

• Different types of dementia
• Delirium: The importance of recognizing it and getting treatment
• Symptoms and courses of the different types of dementia
• Pharmacological treatments for dementia: A primer
• Patients with traumatic brain injury
• Patients with mild cognitive impairment

DEVELOPING YOUR OWN COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS

• Where, when, and how often
• Screening participants
• Components of an effective cognitive enhancement program
• Designing group-based programs for people of varying abilities
• 20-day curriculum of cognitive enhancement activitie

COGNITIVE REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES

• Password-protected website
• How to use it
• Tools readily printed and implemented

• Activities for improving cognitive abilities

• Introduction to the activities
• Specific cognitive abilities improved by each activity

• Interactive Lab: Practice cognitive rehabilitation activities in small groups

MOTIVATING DEPRESSED, APATHETIC, AND ANXIOUS CLIENTS

• Apathy
• Depression
• Agitation
• How to motivate people to get the most out of therapy and activities