[Non pharmacological interventions in dementia: a review and prospect]

Abstract

Non pharmacological interventions in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders are a growing area of research. If, to date, the limited number of randomized controlled trials, the small size of the samples, the variable degree of precision of the interventions provide limited evidence of the efficacy of such interventions, some appear most promising: among cognitive interventions, individualized cognitive rehabilitation strategies, among emotion-oriented interventions, reminiscence therapy, and among interventions designed for carers, those who include interventions with the patients present, to date, the most reliable data. Among the environmental and behavioral interventions, the very promising results of behavioral therapies for carers in the treatment of depression, as well as of behavioral techniques in improving the relationship between staff members and residents in challenging care situations (bathing) are emphasized. The differential impact of the physical environment and of different sensory stimulation techniques on the mood and behavior of people with dementia is a very promising area, which deserves more precise evidence based work in the future.