The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that by 2060, there will be about 14 million Americans living with dementia, which is not part of normal aging but caused by a number of conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular disorders, and neurological problems. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy is here as an intervention.
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is becoming more common around the world and is currently the only non-drug dementia treatment recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the U.K. It was developed by British researchers in the early 2000s, and a growing body of scientific evidence attests to its benefits.
Overall, CST involves brief, themed activity sessions that draw upon implicit learning and are client-centered. It is a non-drug intervention designed to foster the strengthening of remaining cognitive skills through participation and doing. Participants meet in a group setting twice a week for 7 weeks for a total of 14 sessions. Each session follows the same format but topics change weekly. Topics are typically tailored to appeal to the group members and increase in cognitive demand over the weeks. The program is not focused on restoring memory loss but instead focuses on strengthening remaining skills through connecting with others, sharing experiences, stories, and opinions. Learn more about a group or individual CST services.