Dementia – The need for meaningful occupation in therapy

Summary of the Workshop: Dementia is a syndrome characterised by deterioration in memory and cognitive functions. Dementia is progressive in nature with the focus of treatment being to delay further memory/cognitive decline... [ view full abstract ]

Summary of the Workshop:

Dementia is a syndrome characterised by deterioration in memory and cognitive functions. Dementia is progressive in nature with the focus of treatment being to delay further memory/cognitive decline and enhance the older adult’s quality of life. There are many therapies well researched in this area e.g. cognitive stimulation therapy (Spector et al, 2013), sonas apc (Connors, 2000), doll therapy (Mitchell et al, 2013), errorless learning (Clare et al, 2010) etc. However, despite all of this research, older adults with dementia are engaging in activities with little meaning to them and these activities are not reflecting their life experiences (Harmer et al, 2008). The aim of this workshop is to explore this area of meaningful occupation with the dementia population in more detail. The following are the main aims we wish to address:

• Define occupation and identify what is meaningful occupation.
• Understanding the significance of meaningful occupation with the older adult with dementia.
• Understanding the importance of gathering information about the older adult with dementia in order to empower them to engage in meaningful occupation.
• Identify the barriers and facilitators in Occupational Therapists carrying out occupation-focused therapy.
• Explore risk management in relation to enablement.


The workshop will be interactive in nature with the use of case studies and group exercises.

Maximum number of participants: 30

Brief description of intended participants: This workshop would be suitable for clinical and researching healthcare professionals working with the dementia population.