Alzheimer, dementia, family psychological intervention, stimulation, program

Abstract

Dementia is an acquired syndrome, of an organic nature characterized by a permanent deterioration of memory and other intellectual functions, and frequently accompanied by other psychiatric disorders, which occur without altering the level of consciousness, affecting social functioning. Currently available diagnostic tests are primarily based on clinical criteria, supported by neuropsychological, analytical, and imaging tests. Currently, the complex neurodegenerative process of this disease is not known, but we do have data on the intervention of its symptoms. The experimental design used in this work is of a “quasi-experimental” type with evaluation before and after the stimulation program (memory and automatism workshop; reading and language; physical exercise and psychomotricity; music therapy and body recognition). The sample is made up of 21 subjects of both sexes, diagnosed with probable Alzheimer Disease, treated in the day and residence centers for 6 months. The mean age of the subjects is 80.71 years (SD = 4.85). The results show a decrease in MEC score (maximum 35 points) of -1.67 (SD 3.88; p smaller than 0.05); when the main caregiver goes to psychological support, the MEC score increases on average by 0.8 (SD 2.9), if he does not go, the score decreases by -3.91 (SD 3.3) with a p value of 0.03. The conclusions drawn are that the stimulation treatment is just as effective in maintaining general cognitive performance and functional capacity in patients with mild, moderate and severe cognitive impairment; When the work extends to the family-patient binomial, by applying a parallel non-pharmacological treatment to the relatives, the results are significantly better.