Purpose: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and the amnestic variant of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neurodegenerative conditions characterized by a profound loss of functional communication abilities. Communicative impairment in AD and PPA is especially apparent in the domain of naming common objects and familiar faces. We evaluated the…

Although individual and group art therapy is beneficial for individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), progression of the disease negatively affects visual processing, which suggests the need to modify art-based interventions. This case study (N = 1) used a psychological well-being scale to compare nonmodified art therapy for an individual with…

This is a snapshot of a service learning course founded on narrative medicine, a clinical practice designed to replace impersonal care with empathic listening. By utilizing poetry therapy techniques among nursing home populations, a program called "HPU LifeLines" promotes a community literacy of illness and provides psychological and…

This eight-week action research project examined how art can be a possible intervention to memory loss. Five octogenarians with dementia participated in a qualitative phenomenological case study exploring the connections between memory and making art. Various methods of data collection were employed, including survey, interview, artifacts,…

This review article examines current knowledge about the efficacy of art therapy based on the findings of 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted with adult populations from 2008-2013 that met a high standard of rigor. Of these studies, all but one reported beneficial effects of art therapy. Review findings suggest that art therapy may…

Purpose: The stigma experienced by the family members of an individual with a stigmatized illness is defined by 3 dimensions: caregiver stigma, lay public stigma, and structural stigma. Research in the area of mental illness suggests that caregivers' perception of stigma is associated with increased burden. However, the effect of stigma on…

The aging population is a rapidly growing demographic in the United States. Isolation, limited autonomy, and declining physical and mental health render many older adults vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. As the population grows, so does the need for Adult Protective Services (APS). This article highlights an ultrasensitive subgroup…

Purpose: The purpose of this experimental study was to test the efficacy of a psychoeducational individual program conceived to facilitate transition to the caregiver role following diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in a relative. Design and Methods: Caregivers were recruited in memory clinics and randomized to an experimental group (n = 62) or a…

Objective: Pain assessment for nonverbal older adults with cognitive impairments or dementia presents many challenges, and it is important to determine which scales are most useful in assessing pain among this population. Method: In this review 11 observational scales for assessment of pain in older adults with dementia or cognitive impairments…

Six older adults with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) were trained to recall a name-face association using the spaced retrieval technique. In this study, we retested these persons in a 6-month follow-up program. For half of the participants, three booster sessions were administered at 6, 12, and 18 weeks after original training to promote…

This study investigated the relationship between semantic and episodic memory as they support lexical access by healthy younger and older adults and individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, we were interested in examining the pattern of semantic and episodic memory declines in AD (i.e., word-finding difficulty and impaired recent…

Behavioral interventions based on operant principles are commonly attempted to manage agitation in older adults with dementia. The extent to which operant conditioning can occur in persons with particular dementias, however, is unclear. The present study involved use of a button-pressing task to evaluate the sensitivity of the responding of older…

Accessible support programs can improve health outcomes for family caregivers of older relatives with a chronic condition. Over the course of 6 months, 27 experienced family caregivers provided weekly support via the telephone to 66 individuals, either new family caregivers of seniors recently diagnosed with stroke or newly vulnerable family…

Reports the results of a consensus meeting convened to provide guidelines for clinicians and make recommendations for researchers regarding disruptive vocalization (DV). Suggests that DV arises largely in persons with cognitive impairment and generally reflects an underlying need or discomfort. Managing DV involves appropriate identification of…

This article describes a comprehensive cognitive-linguistic intervention program for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients that provided communication skills practice in the context of health-enhancing and esteem-building community-based activities, physical fitness training and supervised volunteer work. Effects for four participants…