Phone: 866-718-5757 Fax: 866-718-5759 Email: careers@lifecaretherapy.com
Introduction
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition in which people have more memory or thinking problems than other people their age. The symptoms of MCI are not as severe as those of Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. People with MCI can usually take care of themselves and carry out their normal daily activities but can often be frustrated because of frequent mistakes or be at risk especially if they live alone.
Strategies for Success
The activities that are here are suggestions and are loosely categorized into areas. We, as occupational therapists (OT/COTA) know that there is overlap between these areas. Baking cookies can be a cognitive task while working on hand strength, standing endurance and functional mobility. Know the needs of the person and be creative... it is what we do best.
Sample Treatment Goals
Improve/maintain ADL performance through the use of errorless learning and prompting strategies combined with activity and task modification.
Improve short-term memory recall through the use of planners, prompts, and multisensory interventions.
Maintain and improve functional mobility and sleep through the development of exercise-based/physical activity interventions.
Provide recommendations to improve safety within the home and reduce fall risk through home modifications and alert devices
Communication skills training for the care providers to improve quality of life and well-being.
Provide multicomponent psychoeducational interventions including education, skill training, and coping strategies to reduce burden of care.
Therapy Ideas:
Functional Mobility
Exercise (traditional, yoga, TaiChi)
Dance (seated or standing). Add scarves, music instruments, etc.
Garden
Work with tools to create something
Wax the car
Clean the windows
Sweep
Cognitive/Expressive
Letter/card writing to family and friends
Puzzles and games
Create reminder system that works for the patient
Implement medication schedule
Introduce relaxation strategies and techniques
Play music, sing to music, dance to music
Create a scrapbook
Set up phone/table with reminders, calendar and contacts.
Create an emergency plan
Environment
Reduce glare
Add night lights
Assess for fall hazards and remove
Organize closet and kitchen
Set up alarms on exterior doors
Increase contrast between materials (placemat/plate, etc.)