"If knowledge and preparation are the best defense and offense for [managing AD] challenges....this book is an excellent way to obtain those tools" -- Shirley Sahrmann, PT, PhD, FAPTA (from the Forward) Despite the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD), current research remains limited, and AD is still one of the most mysterious diseases to date, even to health professionals. This up-to-date resource for AD clinicians and caregivers serves to demystify AD and dementia at large. This comprehensive and easy-to-read guidebook contains the latest research on dementia and AD in the elderly population, including the causes and risk factors of AD, diagnosis information, and symptoms and progressions of the disease. Significant emphasis is given to the physical, mental, and verbal rehabilitation challenges of patients with AD. Key Features: Outlines specific rehabilitation goals for the physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, and general caregiver Includes chapters on prevention and treatment of AD, caring for AD patients within the home, and long-term, institutional care of AD Provides guidelines on how to address rehabilitation challenges, including strength-building to prevent falls, swallowing exercises to prevent malnutrition, and speech language skills to promote communication With this book, Gogia and Rastogi set forth the necessary care-giving and diagnostic tools to address the ongoing challenge of caring for AD patients - tools that have been clinically proven to help arrest this devastating, neurogenerative disease.

Rehabilitation helps individuals maintain and optimize independence. Historically, people with dementia have received little rehabilitation and the focus has been on care to replace lost function. Dementia Rehabilitation is a resource for health and social professionals, service planners, policy makers, and academics. The book makes a compelling case for rehabilitation for people with dementia, including the views of people with dementia and the research evidence. For each area of function, the research evidence and relevant theory is summarized, followed by practical information on clinical assessment, and delivery of therapies. Identifies rehabilitation as a human right for people with dementia. Reviews functions affected by dementia, including cognition, communication, and physical function. Outlines evidence-based strategies to maintain function and to delay decline. Describes how to maintain activities of daily living and leisure activities. Includes techniques to maintain self-identity and mood. Recognizes the importance of environment and care partners in supporting rehabilitation. Summarizes models of care for rehabilitation.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are no longer objects gathering dust on a shelf; instead, they have become intrinsic in our everyday lives. They are now even taking on an indispensable role in many clinical and rehabilitation settings. In the past decade there has been a surge of interest in using ICT with elderly people, both with and without dementia, in various clinical and research settings. On the one hand, ICT can supplement the assessment of functional ability by more precisely evaluating the nature and extent of functional impairment; on the other hand, ICT can be used to support elderly people in their everyday activities, as well as to ameliorate symptoms and improve quality of life through stimulation and rehabilitation. This is the intention driving the development of Serious Games (SG), which are digital applications (often based on Virtual Reality) specifically adapted for purposes other than entertaining, including rehabilitation, training and education. Finally, ICT can also play a key role in the development of interactive educational programs to support caregivers of people living with dementia. A handful of interesting studies have started to investigate the effectiveness of employing ICT in people with different types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is therefore timely to attempt to scope this newly emerging field, as well as to foster a dialogue among the different professionals, including academics, clinicians and computer engineers, working in the area. With this in mind, the Research Topic “ICT for assessment and rehabilitation in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders” aims to provide new and interesting insights into the current use of ICT in healthy and pathological aging. The intent is also to identify challenges and new perspectives in the field, gather recommendations for the application of ICT in AD and related disorders in clinical practice, and to showcase cutting edge clinical research. The articles included in this Frontier Research Topics have more than achieved this aim and are a perfect illustration of how ICT can be used to enhance the lives of people living dementia and their caregivers.

"This completely updated third edition of Geriatric Rehabilitation provides a comprehensive look at the specific needs of elderly patients and the practical components of their rehabilitation. The new reader-friendly format and improved illustrations enhance the overall learning experience and help to clearly convey the essential theoretical and clinical points."--BOOK JACKET.

Rehabilitation provides a core concept around which to organise support, intervention and care for people with impairments in memory and other cognitive functions. This book introduces a conceptual framework and rationale for the application of a neuropsychological rehabilitation approach for people with dementia, helping them to manage, bypass or overcome these problems and experience optimum well-being. Methods and techniques of cognitive rehabilitation are described and the process of goal-setting is discussed in detail, showing how effective strategies may be linked to form an individualised, goal-oriented approach to intervention. The application of a rehabilitation approach in real-life contexts is explored, demonstrating the role and value of neuropsychological rehabilitation within a holistic, psychotherapeutic framework of care and support. This overview of the neuropsychological rehabilitation approach to dementia care will be of great interest to psychologists as well as to those studying or practising in the area.

"In this book, some of the leading clinicians and cognitive neuroscientists consider the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation. They situate the issues within an overall context that considers the different types and levels of diagnosis and assessment, the adequacy of underlying cognitive theory for rehabilitation, and more importantly, the clinical effectiveness of current treatments to improve functional recovery. By employing an evidence-based approach that critically evaluates the published literature, the book provides for a better understanding of the strengths and limitations of the cognitive approach and hopefully a more realistic expectation of its outcome for patients with neurological deficits." "The book will serve as a valuable source for a wide spectrum of professionals who deal with the neuropsychological and neurological effects of brain damage."--BOOK JACKET.

The relevance of cognitive rehabilitation for people with dementia is becoming increasingly accepted by researchers and practitioners in the field. This special issue draws together examples of state-of-the-art research and systematic review by experts in this exciting and growing area. The contributors show how cognitive rehabilitation approaches can be applied, in different ways, to help optimise functioning and address specific difficulties across the full spectrum of severity. While the main focus is on the more commonly diagnosed forms of dementia, treatment possibilities for people with fronto-temporal dementia are also explored. Cognitive rehabilitation interventions need to be grounded in a clear assessment of the profile of strengths and limitations in cognitive functioning, and to demonstrate where possible that treatment effects extend beyond improvement on target measures to have a meaningful impact on wellbeing and quality of life. For this reason, the special issue includes contributions that explore detailed aspects of cognitive functioning or describe new developments in evaluating quality of life in dementia. Cognitive rehabilitation, it is suggested, should be viewed as one important component of a holistic approach to helping people with dementia, their families, and those who care for them. This special issue seeks both to provide information about what has already been achieved and to encourage and stimulate further progress.

Introduces a conceptual framework and rationale for the application of a neuropsychological rehabilitation approach for people with dementia, helping them to manage, by-pass or overcome these problems and experience optimum well-being.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are no longer objects gathering dust on a shelf; instead, they have become intrinsic in our everyday lives. They are now even taking on an indispensable role in many clinical and rehabilitation settings. In the past decade there has been a surge of interest in using ICT with elderly people, both with and without dementia, in various clinical and research settings. On the one hand, ICT can supplement the assessment of functional ability by more precisely evaluating the nature and extent of functional impairment; on the other hand, ICT can be used to support elderly people in their everyday activities, as well as to ameliorate symptoms and improve quality of life through stimulation and rehabilitation. This is the intention driving the development of Serious Games (SG), which are digital applications (often based on Virtual Reality) specifically adapted for purposes other than entertaining, including rehabilitation, training and education. Finally, ICT can also play a key role in the development of interactive educational programs to support caregivers of people living with dementia. A handful of interesting studies have started to investigate the effectiveness of employing ICT in people with different types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is therefore timely to attempt to scope this newly emerging field, as well as to foster a dialogue among the different professionals, including academics, clinicians and computer engineers, working in the area. With this in mind, the Research Topic "ICT for assessment and rehabilitation in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders" aims to provide new and interesting insights into the current use of ICT in healthy and pathological aging. The intent is also to identify challenges and new perspectives in the field, gather recommendations for the application of ICT in AD and related disorders in clinical practice, and to showcase cutting edge clinical research. The articles included in this Frontier Research Topics have more than achieved this aim and are a perfect illustration of how ICT can be used to enhance the lives of people living dementia and their caregivers.

Plan realistic and effective treatments for your elderly patients with a more thorough understanding of their needs and the ailments that commonly afflict them. The compelling presence of geriatric patients in occupational therapy practice has led professionals from a wide variety of health care specialties to address some of the conditions more commonly encountered in clinical practice. The Geriatric Patient is an enlightening volume that highlights assessment and treatment techniques for mental and physical ailments and explores typical attitudes held toward aged people and aging by health care professionals that can have serious implications for the care provided to elderly persons. A number of practical topics are discussed--the assessment of nutritional status and needs of geriatric patients; the care of patients suffering from a variety of physical and mental ailments, such as osteoporosis, herpes zoster, balance problems, and Alzheimer's disease; and general approaches to the care of the aging patient.