By Catherine Verrier Piersol, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, and Lou Jensen, OTD, OTR/L, C/NDT, LSVT-BIG Certified
Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th-leading cause of death in the United States, 5th among adults ages 65 or older. It is the only disorder among the top 10 causes of death that cannot, at present, be prevented, cured, or slowed. The total cost of care is expected to exceed $1 trillion annually, before adjusting for inflation, in 2050.
People with Alzheimer’s disease and related major neurocognitive disorders and their caregivers face significant challenges that can reduce their quality of life. Occupational therapy practitioners can alleviate some of these challenges through evidence-based interventions that optimize occupational performance and safety, reduce problematic behaviors, educate and support caregivers, and promote well-being both for people with major NCDs and for their caregivers. Topics include occupations, behavior, perception, falls, and caregiver strategies.
This Practice Guideline serves as a resource for practitioners to find evidence-based interventions for clients with major NCDs, provides a tool for advocacy with external audiences, and highlights areas for future research and inquiry. Case studies and an assessment table provide in-depth, practical information, and evidence tables are included on a flash drive for ease of searching.
Contents
Chapter 1. Overview of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Neurocognitive Disorders
Chapter 2. Best Practice and Summaries of Evidence
Chapter 3. Interventions That Address Occupations
Chapter 4. Environment-Based Interventions
Chapter 5. Interventions That Address Caregiver Strategies
Chapter 6. Implications of the Evidence for Occupational Therapy Practice and Research
978-1-56900-402-9, 105 pages, 2017