A psychosocial intervention to improve outcomes in Parkinsonian Dementias
Speakers
- Prof Iracema Leroi
- Ms Sabina Vatter
- Mr Julio Vega
People with Parkinson’s disease are 20 – 40% more likely to develop dementia compared to people without the disease. Dementia, or mild cognitive impairment, in Parkinson’s disease can cause mental impairment, such as problems with memory and attention, and can have a negative impact on people with the disease and their companions.
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Parkinson’s disease (CST-PD) is a new therapy that has been developed to address the mental and emotional challenges that can decrease quality of life for people with dementia and their companions. The therapy involves engaging in structured, enjoyable activities that support memory, stimulate communication and enhance well-being.
We have recently investigated the feasibility of rolling out CST-PD as a large-scale study in UK. In this afternoon of short talks we will describe the development of the therapy and present the early findings from the pilot trial. We will discuss the challenges associated with using questionnaires to assesses changes in disease symptoms and well-being, and introduce alternative outcome measures. We will finish by inviting you to take part in an interactive session of CST-PD to gather your views on therapy and how it might be improved.
The feedback from the session, together with the findings from the pilot CST-PD trial, will be used to further develop the intervention prior to a UK-wide randomised controlled trial.