What is meant by talking therapy?
Talking therapies include counseling, psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy and can help individuals understand the often-missing link between actions, feelings and thoughts. Talking therapies can be effective for individuals in the early to middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease. In psychological therapy or “talking therapy” sessions, an individual will be supported to talk about how their thoughts and feelings affect their mood and behavior.
Many individuals with dementia struggle to make sense of their diagnosis and the life changes that accompany it. They experience feelings of loss, confusion, hopelessness, vulnerability and/or anxiety. Talking therapy is helpful as the individual struggles to come to terms with and to accept his or her, or a loved one’s, new diagnosis, offering individuals living with dementia the opportunity to speak openly about their feelings and anxieties which can help them adjust to and live with the condition more successfully.
Studies have shown that using talking therapies can directly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in individuals with dementia. However, it’s important to note that as dementia progresses, this type of therapy becomes less useful to the affected individual because of the cognitive decline and the ability to express feelings is soon lost.
Talking therapies are delivered by a professional, such as a counselor, a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist or a psychiatrist, preferably those professionals who have experience with working with individuals with dementia and have a good understanding of the condition.
Approaches are tailored and adapted to the needs of the individual in finding ways to manage issues and work through depression, apathy and/or anxieties. For instance, the individual’s level of communication, understanding and memory needs to be assessed prior to the initial meeting. Depending on the result of the assessment, the therapist may choose to have shorter sessions, to incorporate the use of memory aids like cue cards, and to provide more reinforcement and continual summarizing. If the affected individual agrees, the caregiver can attend the sessions for support and also to assist in the strategies recommended by the therapist.
Affected individuals, however, may feel more comfortable and less threatened in discussing problems confidentially with a therapist rather than with close family members and friends, or having them accompany them in sessions. Therapists offer that “safe space” for the affected individual to explore myriad feelings, which in turn helps maintain healthy relationships with others.
Talking therapies are good nonpharmacological approaches for individuals with dementia and are particularly beneficial because they focus on the individual and his or her viewpoint. These therapies are structured, collaborative and focused on achieving goals and solving problems. Additionally, caregivers can also benefit by these talking therapies to help them cope with all the responsibilities associated with caring for their loved ones and with the stress, and the negative feelings and depression that oftentimes arise through the journey of the condition.
Questions about Alzheimer’s Disease or related disorders can be sent to Dana Territo, author of the upcoming book “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease,” at thememorywhisperer@gmail.com.
