How Psychologists Can Play a Part in Dementia Care

When you think of someone with dementia, you might picture an older adult with memory loss living in a care home, getting help from employees. While this is an accurate depiction in many cases, more than only care associates provide care. Psychologists can play an essential role in the health and wellness of people living with dementia. In this article, you can learn more about what dementia is and how psychologists can help people maximize life enjoyment.

What Is Dementia?

Psychologists who have undertaken psychology online courses and in-person study to master their craft often describe dementia as an umbrella term for many neurological disorders that result in personality, behavior, and cognition changes.

Alzheimer’s disease is undoubtedly the most common. However, there are other forms like vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies. It’s also not uncommon for dementia to be associated with Parkinson’s disease and chronic alcohol use.

Measuring Normal Aging vs. Dementia

Psychologists generally get involved with people with dementia when they help them determine whether they have normal aging or the early signs of dementia. They use various screening tools to help families and healthcare providers know whether further assessment is needed.

Cognitive Screening

Cognitive screening involves tests to measure cognitive functions like:

• Thinking
• Problem-solving
• Memory
• Concentration
• Language
• Visual-spatial awareness

These tests are usually short and can be helpful in not only diagnosing dementia but also determining the type of dementia. Even within the parameters of cognitive screening, psychologists can use more than one type of screening test.

A mini-mental status examination is among the most popular to assess skills like short-term memory, orientation, reading, and writing. If you have mild symptoms, they might also use an Alzheimer’s disease assessment scale-cognitive test. This is an 11-part test on memory and language skills that takes around 30 minutes.

A psychologist can also perform neuropsychological testing when more in-depth testing is required. This involves sensitive memory, reasoning, and comprehension tests conducted over a two-hour appointment. If two hours is too long, they may recommend multiple shorter ones. The results of such tests may help people with dementia and their loved ones navigate memory loss and other symptoms and ensure they get the help they need.

Affective Screening

Affective screening involves screening tests like the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Where substance abuse is a concern, a geriatric version of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test can also be used.

The Geriatric Depression Scale is a short 15-question or extended 30-question test where people provide yes or no answers. Scores of 5 to 8 indicate mild depression, while scores of 12 to 15 indicate severe depression. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory is a similar test. It consists of 20 agree/disagree questions to assess common anxiety symptoms.

A Psychologist’s Role in Dementia

Alongside conducting tests for people referred by their doctors, psychologists also have a hands-on role with people with dementia throughout the many stages of the disease. They can see people in their homes, hospitals, clinics, and residential care facilities to deliver various helpful services.

They can offer education and counseling for families and help care associates manage challenging dementia-related behaviors. Psychologists are also relied on to make suggestions to improve daily functioning and quality of life in people living with a dementia diagnosis.

Their services can also depend on where they’re providing them. For example, they might offer assessment, pain treatment, and mental health-related care in hospital settings. In residential care facilities, they often perform consultations and address employee stress and well-being. Patient care programs and staff education are also standard.

Developing Treatment Plans

Treatment plans can be integral for people with dementia to help improve their quality of life and emotions. When a dementia diagnosis is received, psychologists will work with the person with dementia and their family to develop a treatment plan and provide care tips. This includes ways for someone to manage their dementia and its symptoms and improve behaviors.

Parts of a treatment plan typically include establishing routines for pleasant activities, using alarms as reminders, and relying on journals, to-do lists, and calendars as a substitute for memory.

Helping Caregivers

Psychologists typically focus on people living with dementia. However, they also care for families. They can help caregivers by devising ways to manage stress. They can also help families accept the changes of those facing dementia.

While care associates are integral to the health and well-being of people with dementia, psychologists also play an essential role. They can diagnose dementia, identify the type, and devise treatment plans to help them live life to the fullest.